Ryanair News

News Release

24.04.12

Dublin Airport Traffic (Q1) Down 28% Since 2008

1.4M FEWER Q1 PASSENGERS IN 2012 THAN 2008

HIGH DAA AIRPORT FEES DETER TOURISTS

Ryanair, Ireland’s favourite airline, today (24 Apr) called on the Irish Govt to deliver ‘change and reform’ in Irish tourism by breaking up the DAA monopoly who today confirmed that Dublin Airport’s Q1 (Jan – Mar) traffic fell 28% (a loss of 1.4m passengers) since 2008, as the DAA’s high fees continue to damage Irish tourism and jobs.

Passenger numbers at Dublin Airport between January and March 2012 fell to 3.7m, down 2% on Q1 2011 (3.8m) and 28% down on Q1 2008 (5.1m). Ryanair believes that the collapse in Irish traffic and tourism must be addressed and urged the Govt to:

Reverse the DAA’s 40% price increases since 2010
Scrap the tourist tax
Break up the failed DAA monopoly (just as the UK’s failed BAA monopoly is being broken up by the UK Competition Commission) and,
sell Dublin’s two terminals and both Cork and Shannon airports to competing operators.

DAA Q1 Passenger Numbers

		Cum Decline
2008	5.1m	-
2009	4.6m	0.5m (-11%)
2010	3.9m	1.2m (-23%)
2011	3.8m	1.3m (-26%)
2012	3.7m	1.4m (-28%)

Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said:

“Dublin Airport continues to deliver dramatic traffic falls while Ireland’s largest airline Ryanair continues to grow. Clearly, Ryanair’s formula of low fares works, whereas the DAA’s high fees continue to damage Irish tourism and jobs.

“We call on the Govt to deliver its promised “change and reform” and address this collapse in Irish tourism by:

1. reversing the DAA monopoly’s 40% price increases

2. scrapping the failed tourist tax; and;

3. breaking up the DAA monopoly with the introduction of competing terminals at Dublin Airport and the sale of Cork and Shannon Airports.”