Designates City of Derry Airport as international airport

UK New Legislation

Published April 2nd, 2026

Detected April 4th, 2026

Summary

The Department for Communities (Northern Ireland) has issued S.R. 2026 No. 70, designating City of Derry Airport as an international airport under Article 53(1) of the Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 1996. The Order, made on 31st March 2026, came into operation on 2nd April 2026. This designation allows the airport's licensed premises within the customs examination station to sell alcohol outside normally prohibited hours.

View original document View source feed page

What changed

This Order specifies City of Derry Airport as an international airport for the purposes of Article 53(1) of the Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 1996. The designation was made pursuant to Article 53(2) based on findings that the airport has substantial international passenger traffic and that appropriate facilities for non-alcoholic beverages are available. S.R. 2026 No. 70.

The practical effect of this designation is that licensed premises within the airport's customs examination station (approved under section 22 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979) may sell, serve, and permit the consumption of alcohol outside the hours otherwise restricted by Article 41 of the 1996 Order. Airport operators and licensees at City of Derry Airport benefit from extended trading flexibility for international passengers. No immediate action is required by affected parties as the Order is self-effectuating upon commencement.

Source document (simplified)

Changes over time for: The Licensing (City of Derry Airport) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026

Alternative versions:

02/04/2026 - Amendment
02/04/2026 Point in time

Status:

Point in time view as at 02/04/2026.

Changes to legislation:

There are currently no known outstanding effects for The Licensing (City of Derry Airport) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026.

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. At the current time any known changes or effects made by subsequent legislation have been applied to the text of the legislation you are viewing by the editorial team. Please see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ for details regarding the timescales for which new effects are identified and recorded on this site.

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2026 No. 70

Licensing

The Licensing (City of Derry Airport) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026

Made

31st March 2026

Coming into operation

2nd April 2026

The Department for Communities (1) makes the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred on it by Article 53(1) of the Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (2) and now vested in it (3).

In accordance with Article 53(2)(a) of that Order, it appears to the Department that there is a substantial amount of international passenger traffic at City of Derry Airport.

In accordance with Article 53(2)(b) of that Order, the Department is satisfied that arrangements have been made for affording reasonable facilities on licensed premises within the examination station approved for that airport under section 22 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979 (4) for obtaining hot and cold beverages other than intoxicating liquor at all times when such liquor is obtainable for consumption in the premises.

Citation and commencement N.I.

This Order may be cited as The Licensing (City of Derry Airport) Order (Northern Ireland) 2026 and shall come into operation on 2nd April 2026.

Commencement Information

I1 Art. 1 in operation at 2.4.2026, see art. 1

Specification of airport N.I.

City of Derry Airport is specified as an international airport.

Commencement Information

I2 Art. 2 in operation at 2.4.2026, see art. 1

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Communities on 31st March 2026.

(L.S.)

Gerard Murray

A senior officer of the Department for Communities

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order specifies City of Derry Airport as an international airport.

Article 41 of the Licensing (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 prohibits the sale, purchase, consumption or taking away of intoxicating liquor outside permitted hours. That prohibition does not apply to licensed premises within an examination station (approved under section 22 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979) at an airport specified as an international airport under Article 53(1) of that Order.

(1) Formerly the Department for Social Development, see section 1 (7) of the Departments Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (2016 c.5 (N.I.))

(2) S.I. 1996/3158 (N.I. 22)

(3) See Article 8(b) of and Part II of Schedule 6 to the Departments (Transfer and Assignment of Functions) Order (Northern Ireland) 1999 (S.R. 1999 No. 481))

(4) 1979 c.2