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Tuesday, 14 Mar 2023
Updated / Tuesday, 14 Mar 2023 17:49
Ryanair has announced 14 new routes from Dublin Airport for its Summer
2023 schedule
By Will Goodbody
Business Editor
Ryanair has warned that it will inevitably have to locate future
aircraft and route expansion elsewhere in Europe, as a result of rising
passenger charges at Dublin airport.
The airline said Dublin Airport needs to remain competitive compared to
other European airports, with low cost-efficient facilities and
services.
"It is an objective fact that when costs are lower, we will reward that
with additional traffic and we have done that throughout Europe,"
Ryanair's chief executive Eddie Wilson said.
Mr Wilson said the incentives aimed at rebuilding traffic post pandemic
that were put in place by the daa using Government funding had been
instrumental.
However, the chief executive of airport operator daa said Dublin
airport wants to continue to be a low cost airport.
But he said slightly higher passenger charges are needed to ensure the
airport runs efficiently and resiliently.
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"If we are allowed have a modest increase in charges we could then
offer a very resilient service and shorter security queue times, that
is really what it means," Kenny Jacobs said.
He added that while Ryanair is the airport's biggest customer, other
customers want different facilities that have to be paid for.
The two men were debating the charges issue at a press conference where
Ryanair announced its summer schedule from Dublin.
The airline said it is expecting to see a 10% growth in passenger
traffic out of the airport this summer, compared to last year.
It is planning to fly to 130 destinations in 27 countries from the
airport over the season, with the total including 14 new locations.
These new services include routes to Asturias and Castellon in Spain,
Kos and Zakynthos in Greece, Venice, Brindisi, Trieste and Genoa in
Italy and Newquay in the UK.
The expansion of the carrier's presence in Dublin Airport will result
in it operating more than 2,000 flights a week over the summer season.
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Daa expressed confidence today that the airport will be able to cope
with the additional passengers numbers, following last summer's
disruption caused by staff shortages at security.
It is currently recruiting additional security guards and hopes to have
800 in total in place for the start of the summer season.
The airport is also carrying out work to declutter the terminals, add
extra seats, ensure the toilets are cleaner and that there are more
food and drink options.
"Cleaning standards are back to where they were in 2019 and 96% of our
passengers queued for less than 20 minutes in February," Mr Jacobs
said.
Kenny Jacobs, the CEO of daa
He added that technology capable of taking down drones, which have
caused flight disruption at the airport in recent weeks, will be in
place within a matter of weeks.
Mr Jacobs said the airport had reviewed and tested operationally proven
technology last week alongside the Irish Aviation Authority.
He added that an order has now been placed and the technology will be
rolled out in around three to four weeks time.
But he said the Government will explore a medium-term State wide
response to the issue and it is likely that An Garda Siochana and the
Department of Defence will be given responsibility as ultimately all
airports will need to be able to deal with drones.
Mr Wilson welcomed the action on drones, saying they had to be dealt
with and that it was unacceptable that a major airport in Europe had
been closed due to drones.
The Ryanair CEO also expressed the view that the air traffic control
situation in France remains a worry for the summer, with the threat of
further flight disruption, describing it as like "a blockade of the
skies".
In relation to complaints from local residents about the noise coming
from aircraft using the new north runway at Dublin airport, Kenny
Jacobs said the daa thinks the problem has been solved by a change of
flight path since February 23rd.
As a result the aircraft are now not overflying the communities that
were consulted, he said.
He added that over 200 homes over the flight path have been insulated
for noise, but a small number of additional houses may need to be
insulated.
He said the daa will continue to meet with the community and engage
with the noise regulator as well as Fingal Co Co to reassure everybody
that this was done in a way that was intended.