26th Sep 2006 11:00
Ryanair Holdings PLC26 September 2006 RYANAIR OFFERS TO BUILD TERMINAL 2 AT NO COST TO DAA REMOVES NEED FOR 25% PASSENGER TAX INCREASES Ryanair, Europe's largest international airline, today (Tuesday, 26th September2006) confirmed that it had written to the DAA offering to build a low cost,efficient Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport at a cost of €250 million. This newfacility will save the DAA the €610 million they propose wasting on theirTerminal 2, as well as saving the seven year old Pier C (which cost €150million) and the historic listed building, Corballis House. Ryanair alsoconfirmed that it would be oppose the DAA's planned Terminal 2, which is badlydesigned, in the wrong location, is five times more expensive than other similarterminal facilities in the UK and Europe, and has ballooned in cost from €170million (when first announced by the DAA in September 2005) to €750 million whenthe DAA's plans were finally revealed in August 2006. Ryanair criticised the DAA's record of building wasteful, inefficient, overpriced facilities, which includes: • €180m on a 3 million passenger terminal at Cork. • €150m on the 7 year old Pier C which they now propose to scrap altogether. • €150m on the Terminal One extension which was opened in 2002 and designed for 20m. passengers but is patently unable to cope with 20 million passengers. The DAA's proposed T2 location in a cul de sac, on the south side of the airportis the worst possible location in the context of the proposed second (Northern)runway at Dublin Airport. This will cause severe congestion and delays toaircraft and long taxi times between the two terminals and the two runways. TheDAA's T2 design is also nonsensical. They propose two buildings instead of one,and a five storey building when only two levels are necessary. Ryanair today confirmed that it would oppose the DAA's proposed Terminal 2. Itwill submit objections at the planning stage to Fingal County Council. Ryanairwill also be opposing any attempt by the DAA to seek an unnecessary andunjustified 25% increase in passenger charges to the CAR. Ryanair will also besubmitting a complaint to the Competition Authority calling for an investigationinto the fourfold increase in T2 costs, which have risen from €170m in September2005 to €750m in August 2006, just eleven months later. Ryanair also confirmedit will submit a complaint to the European Commission against the DAA for abuseof its monopoly position at Dublin Airport which has resulted in the T2 costsrising fourfold even before planning has been applied for, and for forcingconsumers to pay for a second terminal when more than half (20m) of thepassengers at Dublin Airport will never use it. Speaking today at Ryanair's Press Conference, Ryanair's CEO Michael O'Learysaid: "The DAA cannot be trusted to build efficient, low cost facilities. Having wasted €150m. on Pier C in 1998 they now propose to scrap it. Having spent a further €150m. extending the Terminal in 2002 "to cater for 20 million passengers" this Summer's experience has proven that the facilities cannot handle 20 million passengers. Having announced the second terminal in August 2005 at a cost of €170m. the DAA have now designed this facility and the costs have exploded twelve months later to over €750m. It makes no sense to build a two building terminal when one building is more than adequate. It's nonsensical to build a five storey building when a two storey building will do. "These costs increases, and the proposed 25% to 60% increase in passenger taxes are a direct result of this Government's breach of its promise of an independent second terminal at Dublin Airport. Ryanair has offered to build a low cost efficient second terminal at not cost to the DAA, and the Ryanair building is in a better location for the second runway and is a more passenger friendly design. "When there is an alternative T2 proposal which can be built at no cost to the DAA, and can be built with no increase in passenger taxes at Dublin Airport, Ryanair calls on the Government to ensure that this is the facility that is developed at Dublin Airport and to scrap the €760m. Taj Mahal proposed by the DAA. "The DAA wasted €300m on Dublin Airport to deliver a facility which could handle 20m. passengers, but it plainly failed to do so. They wasted a further €180m. on a 3m facility in Cork when it could and should have been built for one tenth of this sum. Passengers and visitors at Dublin Airport should not endure Third World facilities, or suffer 25% to 60% cost increases to pay for the waste and incompetence of the failed DAA monopoly". Ends. Tuesday, 26th September 2006 For further informationplease contact: Pauline McAlester Peter Sherrard Murray Consultants Ryanair Tel. +353-1-4980300 Tel. +353-1-8121212 www.ryanair.com This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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