Aer Rianta has apologised to its airport customers for issuing "in error" notification of a five-fold increase in staff car-parking and other services charges which it said are merely "under review".
A spokeswoman for the company said last night that parking charges for airline staff had not been changed, and nor were there plans to introduce new media charges, as implied in a circular issued by Aer Rianta late last week.
She was responding to criticism from Ryanair over the notified increase in charges for staff car-parking, ID provision and other non-aviation-related services.
Ryanair said the circular indicated increases, from January 1st next, in the staff car parking charge from €253 to €1,537 (a 507 per cent rise), the fire service active standby charge from €80 to €250 (a 213 per cent rise), the spillage clean up charge from €127 to €500 (a 294 per cent rise), and the technical call-out charge from €25 to €45 (an 80 per cent rise).
It said the letter also included new charges for media organisations, ranging from €100 an hour for taking photography or sound recordings to €250 an hour for "commercial photography", covering publicity or marketing material, or filming.
The Aer Rianta spokeswoman said the increases may have been "implied" in the letter. However, she stressed, "there is absolutely no charging, nor was it ever intended that there would be, for any normal day-to-day photography or media filming/activities in Aer Rianta's airports."
Aer Rianta advised passengers travelling over the festive season not to wrap Christmas presents which they planned to take on board as they would be subject to being opened by security staff at the passenger screening area.
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