Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has again urged Transport Minister Eamon Ryan to intervene in the row over Dublin Airport’s passenger cap, claiming Leinster Rugby is being forced to fly from Belfast rather than Dublin for its European fixtures.
The airline said on Monday it had reached a deal with Leinster to switch the provincial side’s flight departures for away matches from Dublin to Belfast.
Ryanair blamed the Irish Aviation Authority for the move, saying it was necessary because the IAA “blocked slots for these extra rugby flights, which have operated from Dublin for the last 20 years”.
Leinster have two away fixtures in the European Champions Cup pool stage — against Bristol Bears in December and Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle in France in January.
Passenger numbers at Dublin Airport are currently capped at 32 million, and while the DAA has applied to have this increased to 40 million no decision has yet been taken.
In May, the IAA introduced 14.4 million seat capacity limit at the airport for the winter 2024 season, which means that extra winter slots will not be available this year.
However, Michael O’Leary is insisting the minister has powers under the Aviation Act 2001 to issue a “letter of direction” to the IAA “to allow these extra slots”.
On Monday, he urged Mr Ryan to intervene saying it is unacceptable “that Ireland’s Transport Minister won’t exercise his legal power to approve these extra flights. If he won’t act (as he has failed to for four years now), we then call on Green Tourism Minister Catherine Martin to take action.
“Dublin Airport opened a second runway in 2022, taking runway capacity up to 60 million passengers. However, because of Eamon Ryan’s failure to act, Irish airlines cannot add extra flights or effectively use this second runway because of a 17-year-old planning restriction (about road traffic concerns), which Fingal County Council and An Bord Pleanála themselves ignored in 2015 when they granted planning permission for Dublin’s second runway.”
In a statement, Ryanair also claimed that in addition to the loss of Leinster Rugby flights, Dublin Airport also risk losing “Lapland flights to Santa Claus, and over 220,000 extra seats from London and other UK cities to reunite Irish families over the Christmas holidays.
“These flights can operate at Dublin if the Transport Minister issues this letter to the IAA but despite repeated calls, he has failed to act.”
Mr O’Leary previously warned of a “massive crisis” at Dublin Airport this Christmas due to its “insane” passenger cap, with fares costing €1,000 for a return trip.
