Ryanair has promised to open 10 new routes to Europe and to create more than 500 jobs if the Government supports its campaign to have charges at Dublin Airport reduced.
The airline's chief executive, Mr Michael O'Leary, told NCB's annual equity conference yesterday that the airline would increase capacity into Dublin Airport by introducing its new Boeing aircraft on routes from Ireland to Britain in return for lower charges and improved facilities at the airport. It would also deliver at least one million extra passengers on Ryanair flights to and from Ireland within three years.
"We are giving the Minister a public guarantee of our proposals to develop Ireland's under-serviced and overpriced European market," he said, in a statement issued after the conference. If charges are raised, however, it will force fares up and there will be no new routes and no growth, Mr O'Leary said.
"A decision must be made on the future of Aer Rianta's charges in the next month or two. We would urge Minister Mary O'Rourke to look favourably on our proposals for growth," he said.
"Low-cost access to Ireland has been the key feature of the growth in Irish tourism in recent years. If the growth of tourism and trade is stifled by the Aer Rianta monopoly, the Irish economy will suffer."
