The Irish Aviation Authority, the semi-state company that manages the country’s airspace and air traffic control, says it will proceed to build a giant new control tower at Dublin Airport if the daa proceeds to build a new runway.
The IAA has already secured planning permission for the planned 87m tower - 1.5 times the height of Liberty Hall - on a site between the existing and planned new parallel runways.
The estimated €40m to €50m cost of the new control tower is likely to be met by higher passenger charges as will much of the cost of the new runway. The maximum passenger charge at Dublin Airport is currently €9.87 per journey.
Irish airlines have welcomed the development, but expressed fears over controlling the cost of the project.
"It’s the right thing to do but it has to be done in the right way and at the right cost ... We will talk to the DAA next week to see what can be done to get it done at a low cost," Ryanair's chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs said.
Aer Lingus and Emirates also indicated that they support the expansion plans.
