Ryanair News

News Release

18.05.12

Minister Varadkar Should Worry About Traffic… Not Toblerones

Ryanair, Ireland’s favourite airline, today (18 May) called on Transport Minister, Leo Varadkar to take action to reverse record traffic declines at the three Govt owned DAA airports and stop worrying about airport shopping or Ministerial Toblerones following his silly comments about Ryanair’s baggage policies yesterday. After 12 months in power, Minister Varadkar has still failed to deliver any promised change or reform to the DAA’s high costs, or the record traffic declines at Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports. Mr Varadkar should worry more about these traffic declines and stop worrying about airport shopping or his “Toblerones”, when airport shopping won’t deliver new tourists, or create new jobs.

Ryanair also called on Minister Varadkar to explain why after 12 months in power, he has become the puppet for the Dept of Transport’s failed policies, which have delivered record traffic declines at Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports over the past five years, while Ryanair’s traffic grew by 50% as follows:

Pax (m)	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	Change
Dublin	23.3	23.5	20.5	18.4	18.8	-20%
Cork	3.2	3.3	2.8	2.4	2.4	-25%
Shannon	3.6	3.2	2.8	1.8	1.6	-56%
Total DAA	30.0	29.9	26.1	22.6	22.8	-24%
Ryanair	50.9	58.6	66.5	72.1	75.2	+50%

Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said:

“Perhaps if Minister Varadkar spent less time worrying about his Toblerones, he might finally take some action to reverse record traffic declines at the three DAA airports. It’s a little bit worrying that 12 months after Minister Varadkar’s Government were elected to deliver change and reform, there isn’t any difference between the Dept of Transport’s current policy and the failed policies of his predecessor Noel Dempsey. Ryanair’s carry-on baggage policy is agreed to by all passengers at the time of booking, and Minister Varadkar, like all Ryanair passengers, can easily put his Toblerone into his free of charge (10kg) one carry-on bag.”