The Government’s aviation policy means fares “will inevitably rise” over the next few years, Ryanair has claimed. 

The budget airline wants greater State investment in regional airports and the annual passenger cap at Dublin Airport to be lifted from 32 million to 40 million. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, CEO Eddie Wilson described regional airports as playing a “vital” part in the Irish economy and called for a review of the rules governing State subsidies.  

“They require Exchequer funding and what you have now is a limit on the passenger numbers,” he said. 

“The EU allows regional airports to be funded by the State up to three million passengers and the Irish Government has said it’s one million passengers. 

“That sort of dysfunction manifests itself in Knock Airport, for example, which has 800-900,000 passengers per year [and] won’t go above one million - because they lose everything in terms of funding. 

“So, now you’ve a vital piece of infrastructure in the west of Ireland that is artificially restrained by the Government.” 

Rows of Aer Lingus planes. Image: Leah Farrell/© RollingNews.ie

Mr Wilson said Kerry Airport finds itself in a similar predicament, with an urgent need for higher spending on capital projects. 

“Anyone who has been through Kerry knows that they need huge investment in terminal facilities, you’ve got to build this stuff ahead,” he said. 

“The Government has put another artificial cap on regional airports, hasn’t dealt with the one in Dublin and it’s bad news for tourism and connectivity.”

Mr Wilson described the policy as “bizarre” given Ireland is an island and the large number of people who rely on tourism to make a living. 

“If you look at those smaller airports, they’re caught in this ceiling [with the] same type of cap that applies to Dublin Airport,” he said. 

“We’ve no answer to that whatsoever at the moment and that’s going to bite now over the next two to three years as airfares will inevitably rise when you constraint demand.” 

Government aviation policy

Transport Minister Eamon Ryan has declined to take a position on Dublin Airport’s passenger cap, describing it as a local planning issue. 

Other members of the Green Party have lodged objections, citing concerns about the impact of higher emissions on the environment.

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Main image: A Ryanair Boeing 737-8AS aircraft. Picture by: Greg Bajor / Alamy Stock Photo