Ryanair Condemns Useless Aviation Regulator

Ryanair, Dublin Airport’s largest airline, (18-Jun-2009) condemned the draft decision from Ireland’s useless Aviation Regulator, Cathal Guiomard, which proposes to allow further cost increases at Dublin Airport from January 2010, at a time when traffic at Dublin Airport is collapsing, and when airports all over Europe are reducing charges.

 

Ryanair said there is no justification during a recession for further cost increases at a Government owned airport monopoly, or for these being sanctioned by a Government appointed Regulator. At a time when airports all over Europe are lowering charges, this Regulator is hopelessly out of touch with economic reality. These further cost increases, when added to the Government’s suicidal €10 tourist tax, means that further traffic and tourism declines in Ireland are inevitable.
 
Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara stated “The sanctioning of further cost increases at the high cost Dublin Airport monopoly proves that Ireland’s Aviation Regulator is useless. In recent weeks the Greek Government has reduced regional airport charges to zero, and the Spanish Government is rebating airport charges in the latter half of 2009 by 100% for those airlines like Ryanair, delivering growth. Airports all over the UK and Continental Europe are lowering their charges to reflect declining traffic and the recession. Only in Ireland is the Government owned airport increasing charges, sanctioned by a useless Government appointed Regulator, at a time when the Government should be trying to stimulate, not strangle, tourism.
 
“Is it any wonder that traffic at Dublin Airport has collapsed by 11% in the first five months of this year. Today’s proposed increases show that Ireland’s Aviation Regulator is useless.  In the UK, the Competition Commission has called for the break up of the BAA airport monopoly, having recognised that Regulation has failed to protect the consumer interest. In Ireland, this useless Regulator has repeatedly failed to protect consumers, and today’s cost increase is just the latest evidence of this abysmal failure.”
 


(c) Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation. Date posted: 19-Jun-09

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