Sir, - I would like to comment on the report (July 11th) regarding recent criticism of Aer Rianta made by Ryanair's chief executive, Mr Michael O'Leary.
We welcome Mr. O'Leary's support for our efforts to retain intra EU duty free after 1999 and for the upgrading of our facilities at Dublin Airport, but it is regrettable that this support comes at the cost of yet more blatant untruths about our airport charges. Numerous independent surveys have repeatedly confirmed our charges to be amongst the lowest in Europe. Our latest incentive scheme, which enabled Ryanair to launch a number of new services from Dublin Airport, was described by the University of Westminster study as the "best available anywhere".
Aer Rianta has strongly supported Ryanair over many years, and our low airport charges policy has enabled them to grow their business to what is now 25 per cent of total passenger numbers here at Dublin Airport.
Far from being a "tax exempt, high charging monopoly", Aer Rianta has contributed directly in cash payments in excess of £120 million to the Exchequer in recent years. Our subsidiary companies also pay corporation tax. In addition, we have funded the expansion of our airport facilities from our own resources, and at no cost to the Exchequer.
Our overseas profits are paying for our involvement in Birmingham Airport, which in time will contribute further to the development of our airport facilities here in Ireland. The purpose of these overseas activities is to generate profits that, in turn, help its to keep our airport charges at home at the lowest possible levels.
Aer Rianta does not behave like a monopoly. We employ the same man years now as we did in 1984, although our business has trebled in that period. Our charges to our airline customers have reduced (at constant prices) by over 30 per cent since 1987, excluding our discount schemes. We are funding a major capital programme for the next five years without recourse to the Exchequer, and we have established a highly profitable international business in competition with private sector operators from all over the world.
We will continue to develop policies to support traffic growth here at home by all airlines. We wish Ryanair well, but even it must recognise that our shareholders, the Irish taxpayers, would not expect us to subsidise Ryanair at the expense of other carriers.
Under our incentive scheme for new traffic, Ryanair pays us 47p per single passenger journey, or an overall average of £2.38p for all passengers in airport charges, which represents just a small portion of its total costs. If Mr. O'Leary is getting a better deal at other airports, the time has come for him to tell us all about it, or else bring this campaign of misinformation to an end. Yours, etc.,
Aer Rianta press and public relations manager,
Dublin Airport.