Ryanair claims DAA plan to raise charges 'skyway robbery'

The Dublin Airport Authority is proposing to increase its core charges at Dublin airport by 0.5 per cent next summer.

It has also proposed two adjustments to other elements of its charges.

These apply to parking stands used by airlines and an increase in the levy for providing services to people with reduced mobility.

The increases will apply to the summer schedule only, which typically runs from March to October. Core prices in the winter will remain unchanged.

The increases were flagged to airlines yesterday as part of a consultation process by the DAA. The price adjustments are expected to increase the DAA’s average revenue per passenger by 2 per cent in 2013.

The DAA’s strategy director Vincent Harrison said the “modest adjustment” to its pricing would see Dublin Airport “maintain” its price advantage relative to other European airports. He also noted that this would be the first overall price increase by the DAA in two years.

Ryanair criticised the increase in charges. Spokesman Stephen McNamara described the changes as “skyway robbery”. “The DAA is deliberately targeting the peak summer period during The Gathering campaign, which is meant to be the biggest initiative ever to attract tourism to Ireland.”

Mr McNamara said The Gathering was “set to be a failure even before it begins”.

Aer Lingus, the biggest operator from Dublin Airport, declined to comment.

Dublin Airport handled 18.7 million passengers in 2011.

In the first 10 months of this year, 16.5 million passengers travelled through the airport, a 1 per cent rise year-on-year.