Madam, - Fintan O'Toole's account (Opinion, May 11th) of the problems with the privately owned Terminal 3 at Toronto's Lester B Pearson Airport should provide a lesson for us here in Ireland.
It is interesting that Mr O'Toole had to go as far as Canada for an example. The reason for this is that at no airport, anywhere in Europe, are there "competing terminals". If they are such a wonderful idea, why do none of our neighbours have them?
The whole concept of competing terminals is a flawed one. What exactly do they compete on? Airport charges are set by the aviation regulator. In any event charges at Dublin Airport have been shown to be among the lowest in Europe.
From the consumer's point of view, it is competition between airlines, not terminals, which serves their interests. Flights are chosen on the basis of ticket price and timing, not whether a flight goes from terminal A or B.
The idea of a private second terminal in competition with the existing one is dear to the Tánaiste's heart. It is also quite ludicrous. Perhaps every CIÉ train station should have a private sector competitor next door, or at least every platform should have a private competitor - and perhaps the rail tracks should belong to a separate company! The real problem at Dublin Airport is lack of capacity, not lack of competition.
Until capacity is increased, air travellers must endure overcrowded conditions and long delays while the Government dithers over a phoney ideological row in Cabinet. - Yours, etc,
RÓISÍN SHORTALL TD, Labour Party spokesperson on Transport, Dáil Éireann, Dublin 2.