RYANAIR TO SUE AVIATION REGULATOR AGAIN

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Ryanair News
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News Release
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12.02.07
RYANAIR TO SUE AVIATION REGULATOR AGAIN FOR LIMITING GROWTH AT DUBLIN AIRPORT

Ryanair, Europe's largest low fares airline today (12th Feb) announced that it will again sue the Commission for Aviation Regulation for unlawfully imposing full slot co-ordination at Dublin Airport.

There is no runway congestion at Dublin Airport and no need for slot co-ordination. The introduction of slot co-ordination will limit competition and drive up prices. Dublin Airport is a two runway airport which caters for just 20M passengers p.a. and there is ample room for growth. With just one runway, London Gatwick presently caters for twice as many - 40M passengers p.a.

Speaking today, Jim Callaghan, Head of Regulatory Affairs said:

"The Commission's decision to slot coordinate Dublin Airport makes even less sense this time than the last time around. There is more check-in capacity this year with 25 additional check-in desks and 14 more stands coming on stream in winter 2007 with Pier D. Runway capacity is also clearly not being fully utilised as Dublin already has 2 runways and yet handles only half the 40m traffic of the one runway Gatwick airport.

"The CAR previously imposed slot coordination at Dublin but this decision was overturned by the High Court. Ryanair has since added 9 aircraft and 3 million additional passengers, which would have been lost to the Irish market and Irish consumers had the CAR's flawed decision gone unchallenged.

"Sadly, Ryanair will again have to challenge this flawed decision by the regulator to ensure that available capacity at the airport is used to its fullest. It is because of the weak regulatory regime in Ireland that the DAA monopoly continues to artificially limit capacity in order to waste money and gold plated facilities. It is high time that the CAR stopped acting as the downtown office off the DAA monopoly and starting acting in the interests of consumers.

"This decision is bad for competition and we are confident it will again be overturned in the courts"