The government has issued a new report, prepared for the Department of Transport, on the future of State-owned airports that claims Dublin Airport could need a new terminal by 2030 and that such a terminal could be privately operated.
The Irish Independent reports that in response to the report's assertions, Aer Lingus stated that talk of an independent terminal is a "distraction" that could shift attention away from the requirement under national aviation policy to develop Dublin Airport as a hub. The airline also believes that this "distraction" could curb traffic growth and get in the way of realising "wider economic benefits".
Meanwhile, Ryanair contested that the need to increase runway capacity at Dublin Airport is greater than the need to add a new terminal while the DAA proclaimed that even with rapid passenger growth, the airport will not need a new terminal as soon as 2030.
Passenger Numbers And Key Projects
Despite expectations that Dublin Airport will handle in excess of 30 million passengers this year, DAA chief executive Dalton Philips said that the airport can accommodate as many as 55 million passengers per year at present, meaning that a new terminal will not be required until at least 2040.
According to a DAA spokesperson, the current key projects for Dublin Airport include a new runway, new aircraft parking stands and new boarding gates, but not a new terminal.
The spokesperson stated, "We need to get on and build what our airline customers want to help them grow their business - and none of them have told us that they need a new terminal.
"Our plans will help Dublin Airport grow to 40 million passengers per year and that can be done without a new terminal."
© 2018 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
