Updated 12.04

RYANAIR HAS MADE the decision to axe all of its domestic flights between Dublin, Cork and Kerry.

The budget airline, which is the only carrier operating the Dublin-Cork route, said it made the decision after the motorway between the cities was improved. It also cited Dublin Airport Authority’s “excessive” charges and Government subsidies planned for another carrier’s Dublin-Kerry route from the beginning of November.

Flights between Dublin and Kerry will end on September 7, except for those planned around the All Ireland football finals on September 17, 18 and 19. Flights between Dublin and Cork will continue until October 30.

Stephen McNamara, spokesman for Ryanair, said: “Ryanair regrets having to close our Dublin– Cork and Dublin– Kerry routes. However, passengers have been voting with their feet and switching to the convenience of driving two and a half hours between Dublin and Cork. Meanwhile, since this Government clearly prefers to subsidise high fares with the awarding of yet another pointless PSO on the Dublin– Kerry route, Ryanair has been forced to close our unsubsidised low fare flights on this route.”

However, a spokesperson for the DAA told TheJournal.ie: “Ryanair always cite high airport charges, despite the fact that ours are among the lowest in Europe.” She said the DAA “would always be disappointed when an airline drops a route,” but added that they realise carriers have to respond to passenger demand.

In a statement, Cork Airport said it was “disappointed but not surprised” by Ryanair’s decision, adding that its own passenger and landing charges have not increased since 2004. Calling the Cork-Dublin route “a strategic link for the Cork region”, the statement added that airport managers are “confident that there is a market for the Cork-Dublin service with a much smaller aircraft than the one currently being used by Ryanair”.