Ryanair to close Kerry, Cork routes

Ryanair has announced it is ending its services from Cork and Kerry to Dublin.

The no-frills airline said it plans to cease operations on its Dublin to Cork from October 30th.

The company said the traffic on the route had declined as improvements to the country's road network had reduced driving times between the cities, and high airport charges that made low fare domestic flights not viable.

The airline will close its route operating between Dublin and Kerry from September 7th, blaming the Government's decision to introduce a subsidised operation on the route for the move.

The airline said flights for the All Ireland football final on September 17th, 18th and 19th would operate. However, passengers who have booked flights on these routes after they are due to close will be refunded.

The news is a further blow for Kerry Airport in Farranfore, which has seen footfall plummet and has laid off a number of staff. The airport is almost entirely dependent on Ryanair, which operates one return flight a day on the Dublin route, along with a number of continental and UK routes.

The Dublin to Kerry route was up for tender under the so-called Public Service Obligation (PSO) scheme for regional airports. Before Christmas, Ryanair pulled out of the PSO scheme and stopped operating three return subsidised flights to Dublin from Kerry, saying the €1.7 million subsidy it received was no longer covering additional costs..

Today, Ryanair's Stephen McNamara said passengers had been "voting with their feet" and opting to drive between Dublin and Cork. He criticised the decision to award "yet another pointless PSO" on the Dublin to Kerry route and accused the Government of subsidising high fares.

Tom Randles, president of Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce, said the community was in deep shock and disappointment following Ryanair’s announcement.

He said that, despite recent road infrastructure improvements, the journey between Dublin and Kerry can still take up to four hours each way.

The axing of the flight will have a significant impact on the tourism and business in the area, Mr Randles said.

"The fact remains that we need an air link to the capital in order to sustain business and tourism in the region."

Additional reporting: PA