The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
DUBLIN Airport acted as a predator feasting on Shannon, but is now seeing the results of its own greed, Fianna Fáil’s Timmy Dooley has claimed in the Senate.
Senator Dooley referenced a Tweet from the Dublin Airport Authority Twitter account effectively telling customers that if they are travelling at peak times they should expect delays of approximately three and a half hours.
“An addendum advised that if people happened to be bringing a car, they should add another half an hour. For the premier airport in the State to find itself in that situation is appalling, and there is a reason for it finding itself there.
“It has engaged in predatory practices in attracting airlines and passengers to dominate the entire sector. Airports such as Shannon have been left to wither on the vine,” he said.
The East Clare based senator added, “There was massive growth in passenger traffic prior to 2019. Dublin got the bulk of it and Cork, Mayo and Kerry got little bits of it. Shannon got precious little.
“From the time that Shannon was separated from Dublin, it engaged in predatory practices, it reduced landing charges and it grabbed it all.
“In the middle of the pandemic, it let people go, with voluntary redundancies, again to improve its capital position. Until such time as we have a legislative basis for managing our aviation sector, the carry-on in Dublin will continue.
“It is hugely damaging to our tourism industry for people to be told they will have to wait. Can anyone imagine getting a flight to Donegal to be told they need to rock into Dublin Airport four hours in advance?”
“They would have rowed a boat to London quicker than they would get there now with the carry-on.”
He said there should be departures from the top of the DAA, given the crisis seen there recently.
“I want to conclude on this. It amazes me that the board and senior management have not resigned at this stage. It is appalling what they have allowed to happen.”
Owen Ryan
Owen Ryan has been a journalist with the Clare Champion since 2007, having previously worked for a number of other regional titles in Limerick, Galway and Cork.
