11th Apr 2008 16:34
Ryanair Holdings PLC11 April 2008 RYANAIR WELCOMES HIGH COURT REJECTION OF AVIATION REGULATOR'S FLAWED T2 DECISION CALLS ON INCOMPETENT REGULATOR TO RESIGN Ryanair, Ireland's national airline, today (Friday, 11th April 2008) welcomesthe High Court's decision to order the Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR)to review and clarify its previous T2 decision, which allowed the DAA monopolyto waste €800m on an oversized, badly designed second terminal in DublinAirport. Having confirmed that the DAA's gold plated T2 Taj Mahal is at least50% too large, the CAR still allowed the DAA to recover over 90% of this waste,which, even this regulator admits, will lead to a doubling of prices forconsumers at Dublin Airport. The High Court's decision highlights this regulators obligation to "protect thereasonable interests of users" and identifies the failures of the CAR's previousdecision to meet this duty. Ryanair also announced earlier this week that it is again challenging thisaviation regulator, this time over rubber stamping a further 50% increase incheck-in desk charges (up 200% in the past three years) in what Ryanair believesis a blatant example of collusion between the regulator and the DAA monopoly.Both the DAA and the regulator have refused to explain or justify the reasonsfor this abusive price increase to airport users. Commenting on the High Court's decision today, Ryanair's Peter Sherrard said: "Ryanair welcomes the High Court's decision to order the regulator to reviewthis unlawful T2 determination, which rewarded the DAA monopoly for itsprofligate waste and inefficiency. At a time when competitive airports aroundEurope are developing low cost facilities and lowering their charges, thisincompetent regulator has allowed the DAA monopoly to repeatedly raise airportcharges, as well as build expensive facilities which users don't want. "This regulator has been an abject failure and has consistently breached hisstatutory obligations to protect the reasonable interests of users and thetravelling public. In the past 5 years, Cathal Guiomard, has rubber stamped alitany of inflation busting price increases, which can only be explained by thefact that he is a government appointed regulator, regulating a government ownedmonopoly and has no interest in actually protecting the reasonable interests ofusers or consumers. These abusive increases include: •a 31% increase in airport charges; •a 58% increase in car rental levy; •a 100% increase in car parking charges; and •a 200% increase in check in desk charges • "He has also confirmed that the already high passenger charges at Dublin Airportwill double in future to pay for this €800m on Terminal 2, when it should bebuilt for less than €200m. "Ryanair will continue to highlight the repeated breaches by this aviationregulator of his statutory duties and again calls on the Minister for Transportto dismiss this failed, (and in our view) incompetent and unlawful regulator andto introduce real competition and competing terminals at Dublin Airport". Ends. Friday, 11th April 2008 For reference:Peter Sherrard - Ryanair, Tel: +353-1-8121598Pauline McAlester - Murray Consultants, Tel: +353-1-4980300 This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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