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RYANAIR HAS APPLIED for extra winter slots at Dublin Airport ahead of a meeting between its CEO Michael O’Leary and junior transport minister James Lawless today.
The company has said that it expects the applications for the additional flights between between December and January, which it says it applied for so that fans can travel from Ireland for Leinster rugby matches, will be rejected.
Matches are an example of when circumstances arise where additional flights to Dublin are needed, but firms are unable to cater to potential customers due to the passenger cap in place at the Airport.
A contentious passenger cap, which was placed on Dublin Airport in the late 2000s, was aimed at reducing the risk that roads around the area would be damaged with increased footfall. It has since been retained as a method to curb flight emissions.
O’Learly argues that it should be scrapped, however, over claims that there is no need for a “traffic cap” since the extensive development of the area surrounding Dublin Airport and that the cap is impacting businesses and opportunities.
“Yet again, we wish Leinster and their supporters every success in the ERCC and URC this winter. Sadly, we have not yet secured slots from the IAA for these extra Dublin flights to Bristol, La Rochelle and Cardiff, because of the outdated (2007) 32m passenger cap at Dublin Airport,” the airline’s CEO said today.
DAA, the firm which operates the Airport, has said that it is currently operating at the level of the current cap, 32 million passengers each year, and has voiced concern that it will bypass the limitation in the coming months.
JetBlue, an American airliner, were unable to apply to slots at Dublin last year over these concerns. The operators previously said it is looking at methods to bypass the cap, including applying so that the building be recognised as strategic infrastructure.
Later today, Minister of State at the Department of Transport James Lawless is set with meet with O’Leary about the passenger cap issue and other ongoing matters in the Irish aviation industry.
It will be the second time O’Leary has met with TDs over the issue in recent months.
The latest gathering is part of a multi-meeting consultation process with stakeholders in the sector after Ryanair and Aer Lingus got approval from the High Court to challenge the cap.
Lawless has planned to meet with Aer Lingus, Fingal County Council, the Irish Aviation Authority, Ibec, Restaurants Association of Ireland and the Irish Travel Agents Association as part of the consultation process.
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Use our other airports more Shannon Knock Cork the demand is there.
@Martin Ridge: so Leinster fans have to travel to Connaught and muster, how does that make sense.
@Martin Ridge: it’s not. If it was the airlines would use them.
@Martin Ridge: You fly to Shannon and then travel to Dublin for the match and back, adds a lot of extra dead time to your trip.
Day trip extremly tiring if you tried it.
@Orban Orban: he is only using that as an excuse for more space. I’m talking about in general why would go to Dublin if I live near shannon
@Orban Orban: You’d be quicker getting to Limerick than you would to the airport.
@Gary Kearney: yea but no problem for a family from Munster having to lose time fro their holiday because of the lack of destinations from Cork.
It’s a waste to fly fans around for every match.
We have the most useless minister not a portfolio for a green
@Chris Whelan: Sitting on his hands… ‘Nothing is better than something’… still it’s not his fault, who made him minister for transport and why did they lump that in with “climate change”… remember that at election time.
This unelected, self centred oaf calls elected representatives cabbages and telling public servants to resign when they displease him should be given the appropriate treatment. To use his Clongowes vernacular he can ‘eff off’
@Ronan Mc: He is good at his job…. They are not. That’s the big difference!…. He runs a highly profitable and efficient business model……. The elected are on a massive spending spree throwing taxpayer money at scandal after scandal with no idea how to run the country!!! Just trying to keep the noses in the trough as long as they can with the aid of PR teams
@another one? what’s going on is the semi state sec: I fully recognise the role he/Ryanair have had on the aviation industry, and being good at his job is an understatement ! But being good at his job doesn’t negate the fact a lot of people think he’s an arrogant prk.. No doubt that has contributed to his/Ryanairs success, In fact most industry trail blazers are arrogant prks .. both things can be true at the same time.
@Brian: Do you think he cares what people think? He’s a master negotiator, business and media man. Everything you see from him is by design. He does and says what he needs to in order to get things done…… If he didn’t put pressure on Ryan and co nothing would be done, they do not want to make the big decisions and will sit on the fence as long as possible for fear backlash from the minority. The cap is a joke and relates to old infrastructure. It needs to be updated to reflect current infrastructure.
@another one? what’s going on is the semi state sec: I didn’t disagree with anything you said .. and I’ve no doubt whatsoever that he doesn’t give two flying ducks about what anybody thinks..lol. I think you’ve missed the thrust of my comment.. Ah well..
@another one? what’s going on is the semi state sec: I didn’t disagree with anything you said and I’ve no doubt whatsoever that he doesn’t give two flying ….. about what anyone thinks.. lol. I think you’ve missed the thrust of my comment. Ah well…
@Brian: my bad ;-)
More? That’s what we need. More jet fuel killing our climate. Not!
@Brendan O’Brien: you never fly anywhere I suppose
@Brendan O’Brien: Out of the traps again, like a shot!
@Damien Leahy: I saw him heading towards Wales on his bike earlier!!!
@Brendan O’Brien: Valid argument if you wouldn’t live on an island, with only 4-5 weeks holidays per year, taking a ferry to the UK or France to drive to Italy or elsewhere in Europe would take days and it would cost more, such trip wouldn’t be feasible in an electric car. Assuming that you own a vehicle. An island needs different arrangements unless you advocate for abandoning Ireland or being trapped here in the name of climate change while the rest of the world can afford to avoid the plane and still go on holiday.
Which brings me to the type of person that you are
Option 1 – Someone who cannot afford to travel anyway so “if I can’t do it, so the rest”
Option 2 – An Engineer professional with one of the few well-paid jobs we have who can afford climate change policies
Option 3 – Someone without a significant other, alone and not caring about leaving your shell of a house and turn off the Playstation.
@Brendan O’Brien: fake account alert!!
@Brendan O’Brien: The fuel is getting greener all the time! I hope you don’t eat avocados as they are terrible for the environment!
@Gary Kearney: Do you eat beef?!?! It’s much worse than avocados!
@Brian Hunt: More like “ like a snot”!
@Brendan O’Brien: I expect that you wear sandals?
I find it curious that everything we do well here is a target of the greens & “progressives”. From food production to data centres to our busiest airport.. I would rather live in the 21st century than the dark ages & I struggle to believe l’il ole Ireland is going to change the world’s weather.
Just scrap passengers numbers what’s the big deal
@that’s were my TV licence money going: I’m in cork and have to travel to Dublin to fly out to prauge as the flight was pulled from cork. Friends of mine used to fly out to Budapest every summer from cork, flights always full, flights pulled last year only from dublin. The DAA are making it to expensive for airlines to fly out of Cork/Shannon. Could it be a ploy to gain extra revenue for Dublin Airport via the parking fees and consumer spend while in the airport. There should be no cap increase in Dublin as they never applied for it when applying for the second runway. Let the DAA fund a luas or railline to the airport, before any increase is granted. Cork Airport hit 3 million passengers for the year in August, Dublin hit over 3million in August alone, that tells you all you need to know about the DAA. Hand Ryanir the disused terminal in Cork and hand them the keys to the airport in Waterford and I bet within a year both airports will be very profitable with steady stream of passengers comming through the doors
@James Brennan: The DAA built T2 out of the profits of Shannon and then cast it aside !
@James Brennan: Firstly the DAA don’t run Shannon, only Cork and Dublin. Second, the airport charges are available online. It’s cheaper to fly to Cork. Third, the DAA run Cork so the revenue generated in Cork goes to the same company as Dublin Airport…. The DAA. Fourth, the old terminal in Cork is derelict and not safe. Fifth, Ryanair don’t use air bridges, the new terminal is sufficient and they can use the stands on front of the old terminal….. Now the big one…. It’s more profitable for airlines to fly to/from Dublin. Higher passenger loads 7 days a week and less time for aircraft on stand not making them money and costing them airport charges by being parked!
@James Brennan: Landing/Take off charge in Cork is €4.20 per tonne vs Dublins €7.35 per tonne in the summer and €2.60 in the winter…….
Parking charges in Cork is €26.20 per 30mins or part thereof vs 35.80 per 15 mins or part thereof in Dublin…..
Air bridge use in Cork €3.75 per 15 mins or part thereof vs €9.30 per 15 mins or part thereof in Dublin……
As you can see Cork is far cheaper for aircraft!!! That misinformation from Cork airport lovers is incorrect saying the DAA is making it cheaper for airlines in Dublin over Cork to get all the traffic to go to Dublin. Charges available with a quick Google!!!!
@Lulu: Did they really cast it aside?!?! How much profit was Shannon making at the time compared to Dublin?!??!…. Here’s a bit of light reading for you on the split of Shannon airport from the DAA.
God bless Michael O’ Leary and Ryanair. Yobs soon forget.
This robber constantly holding the people to ransom. Blaming the rugby now the swine.
@aYc221Lw: at a pretty penny with many hidden charges Harry. Talk sense man.
@Basildon Joe: You obviously don’t remember what airfares were like before Ryanairs low cost model disrupted the market and made it more affordable for everyone…. I never see any hidden charges when booking. All I see airfares and optional add ons. Air travel is dirt cheap compared to what it used to be thanks to them.
@Basildon Joe: they made 1.9billion profit carrying 186 million people last year. That’s around €10.20 profit per passenger. But they have other income streams so that per passenger profit is less….. How do you think they are robbing people?!?!
@Basildon Joe: You could do it if you wanted to. You probably don’t even work!!!
@another one? what’s going on is the semi state sec: Booking a specific seat, having luggage, having hand luggage. Their are add on’s everywhere. I am just amazed he has nit started with dynamic pricing. Oh wait, they do in a different format!
Yes the prices dropped but they are not as low as you think they are. Book a seat at full price and see what the charge is!
@Gary Kearney: all airlines, hotels and many more dynamic price. It’s not a new concept since Oasis did it. €35-78 one way base fare to LGW this Saturday. That previously cost around £400+. Dirt cheap! Most used to holiday in Ireland. Now some are going abroad multiple times a year and weekend city breaks. Thanks MOL and co.!!!!
@another one? what’s going on is the semi state sec: I rest my case, Mr o leary employee.
@Basildon Joe: nobody forces them to fly with Ryanair. If they can find a cheaper or more convenient alternative, good for them.
I’ll wager there will be plenty of Heino on board when the Leinster supporters are travelling to the away games.
Producing nitrogen rain
It would be better for Michael o leary if he looked after his paying customers. Flight from alicante to cork Monday night. Due leave at 11/20.pm. Took off at 3/20am. Not as much as a cup of tea. Disgrace. Never again.
@John Flanagan: better off staying away from the evening flights if you can. That aircraft probably did 5 or 7 flights before that. Any delays that the aircraft picks up during the day has a knock on effect on the next flight and so on!
Any extra emissions from these flights will be as nothing compared to the emissions from this gasbag!
so let me get this straight: there is a middle aged white man who decides how much and where we can travel??
I think it is time to bring out that great french invention called guillotine
@Termaz FX:middle aged white man bad???
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