Dublin Airport hits back at Ryanair claims of increase in passenger charges

Daa operator of Dublin Airport has hit back at what is described as "false" claims by Ryanair that it is set to increase passenger charges by 45 per cent in 2024.

Earlier today, Ryanair made the shock announcement that it is cancelling 17 routes out of Dublin Airport this winter due to rising passenger charges. Ryanair has also cited what it claimed was the airport's lack of plans to expand Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, and its failure to deliver meaningful environmental incentive scheme as ongoing issues behind its decision.

Among the routes that are to be cut are Palermo in Italy, Nuremeberg in Germany and Genoa in Italy, and there will also be a reduction in frequency on some regional routes to the UK, Ryanair said. The Irish budget airline is also set to move its Boeing "Gamechanger" fleet of 19 aircraft to other airports across the EU.

Ryanair has also strongly criticised Dublin Airport's plan to build a €250million new cargo tunnel under the airfield. CEO of Ryanair Eddie Wilson said that it is "regrettable" that they have to announce reduced flights, which he blamed on there being "no incentives" at Dublin Airport to grow traffic or promote lower CO2 and noise emissions.

Mr Wilson said that Ryanair's recruitment will "continue as normal" and employment levels in Dublin will not be adversely impacted by the decision to cut routes. He told Dublin Live: "Employment levels won't be affected in Dublin it's business as normal, if anything more jobs will be created at European airports with the movement of the planes."

According to Ryanair, the daa is increasing its "excessive" charges by a whopping 45 per cent in a bid to fund its €3 billion gold-plated CAPEX programme, which includes a "portfolio of unnecessary vanity projects which have no benefit for passengers". Ryanair has given daa’s €250m cargo tunnel as an example of this, claiming the project is "superfluous" and could be easily replaced with a tried and tested low-cost alternative like the crossing system at Cologne Airport – home of Europe's Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

They added that the daa has a "history of building the wrong infrastructure in the wrong place at exorbitant cost." The airline gave T2 as a prime example; "opened in 2010 at a bloated cost of €2 billion but it is located in a cul-de-sac and can’t be expanded."

Ryanair is calling on daa to freeze charges and put incentives in place for airlines. Mr Wilson said: "What we want the daa to do is to at least freeze charges, and put in incentives for airlines. Put in an environmental scheme."

In a statement, daa told Dublin Live that regulated charges at Dublin Airport, which are set by the aviation regulator, the IAA (formerly CAR), and not daa, are set to increase by only 6 per cent in 2024.

Kenny Jacobs, daa’s CEO said: “I am surprised and disappointed that Ryanair would seek to reconfigure its based aircraft at Dublin Airport this winter when they could pay even lower ultra-low cost charges if they choose to avail of the suite of sustainability incentives we have proposed for 2024.

"I am baffled why any airline with sustainability ambitions would choose to turn down the opportunity to operate lower CO₂ emission and less noisy aircraft at Dublin Airport by turning down the new discount schemes. The Ryanair decision to reduce their MAX fleet at Dublin Airport next winter is adding to their cost base when by actually increasing the MAX fleet they would in fact pay even less in 2024 that they will in 2023.”

"Ryanair’s claim of a 45 per cent increase in charges in 2024 is false. As Ryanair knows well, the aeronautical charges at Dublin Airport are regulated by the IAA who set the maximum level of charges at Dublin Airport."

Mr Jacobs added there is a a traffic recovery scheme in place at Dublin Airport that has "worked incredibly well and has facilitated the speedy 100% bounce back in activity" post-Covid. He said: "This scheme will remain in place for another six months, including the winter period that Ryanair is focused on.

"As the biggest beneficiary of the TRSS scheme, we can understand why Ryanair would like to see it remain in place beyond next March, but we are happy that Dublin Airport’s growth has recovered to pre-pandemic levels and we do not need to incentivise new growth given Dublin Airport has a planning capacity limit of 32 million passengers per annum."

Mr Kenny also said that an underpass is needed at Dublin Airport, which he described as a "safety project" will contribute to effective and efficient airfield operations and maintain operations in the West Apron.

In May, the daa announced plans to cut runway charges by 25 per cent for airlines that operate the quietest and most environmentally friendly aircraft in a bid to incentivise their uptake. The daa is also proposing to charge those who fly high emissions aircraft more, and the new system is expected to go into effect by the end of the year.

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