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The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) is extremely disappointed by the decision of the Commission for Aviation Regulation (The Regulator) not to award the full 51c increase in passenger charges that had been referred to it for review by the Appeal Panel earlier this year.
Instead, the regulator has awarded Dublin Airport a 20c increase in passenger charges bringing the maximum average charge per passenger to €6.34 for the 4-year period 2006-09. To fund the €1.2bn Capital Investment Programme that is required to upgrade the facilities at Dublin Airport, the DAA had sought a charge of at least €7.50 per passenger.

Dublin Airport Authority chief executive Declan Collier said that the regulator’s decision was deeply disappointing in light of the major capital programme that is required at Dublin Airport.

“While we welcome any increase in passenger charges, it is extremely disappointing that the regulator saw fit to ignore many of the Appeal Panel’s recommendations,” Collier said. “Once again the travelling public will have to deal with the consequences of a decision by the regulator that does not provide the required funds to carry out essential capital investment that will significantly improve the passenger experience at Dublin Airport,” he added. “Any investment has to be paid for and the main way to pay for it is through airport charges.”

Passenger numbers at Dublin Airport are continuing to grow and will pass 20 million this year and the DAA must be in a position to deliver the additional capacity that is required by both our airline customers and the travelling public, according to Collier.

“The government has mandated the DAA to build a second Terminal at Dublin Airport. Passengers agree that facilities need to be improved and expanded and have told us that they are willing to pay extra for such improvements.  The tourism industry and the business community are also agreed that we urgently need new capacity at Dublin Airport. It is therefore most regrettable that the Regulator has not seen fit to award the DAA the full uplift in charges recommended by the Appeal Panel.

Collier also urged the Regulator to complete a speedy review of the DAA’s Capital Investment Programme for Dublin Airport to help deliver much needed additional facilities. 

For further information contact
Paul O’Kane
DAA Press Office
01 8141897, 086 6090221

Note to editors:

The DAA sought an increase in passenger charges to €7.50 per passenger last autumn to meet the costs of the €1.2bn capital development plan for Dublin Airport. The Regulator’s determination (Sept 29th 05) was for a maximum average charge of €6.14 per passenger over the four-year period 2006-2009.

The DAA was unhappy with this outcome and asked for an independent review. The Appeal Panel decision (April 4th 06) referred certain elements of the Determination back to the regulator for review – if accepted these would have resulted in a 51c increase in the current price cap. The Regulator has now (June 22nd) awarded the DAA 20c of that 51c increase.

The increase to an average charge of €6.00 per passenger granted by the Regulator last September was the first increase in passenger charges at Dublin Airport since 1987.

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