Cork Airport Chief refutes Ryanair bluff

[Some user]

From last week's "Cork" Examiner:

I WISH to respond to Edel Wright’s letter headlined ‘Emigrant family devastated by the loss of Cork-Glasgow flight link’ (September 17).
While we are obviously disappointed with Ryanair’s recent decision to cancel their East Midlands and Glasgow Prestwick services with effect from next month, I feel it is important to clarify the facts as they are and in particular to refute absolutely some of the misinformation given.

Cork airport management strongly refutes the misinformation that it has “raised fees by 20%”. We have not raised charges by a single cent.

All airlines are eligible to apply for route support through our generous route support scheme when introducing new destinations.

The scheme operates over a five-year period and is based on a sliding scale with a 100% discount in year one. In the second year of operation, the airline receives a discount of 80%, with a 60% discount in year three, 40% in year four, and so on over the five-year period of the scheme.

The purpose of the sliding scale is to share the risks of start-up operations with airlines during the initial phases and Cork airport’s objective is to encourage airlines to commence operations on new routes earlier than they might otherwise have done.

As I have already said, we are obviously disappointed with Ryanair’s decision. Since receipt of the notice we have been working tirelessly to replace this capacity and are delighted that Aer Arann will commence flights from Cork to Glasgow Prestwick from the end of October on six days each week, thus ensuring a seamless continuation of connectivity between Cork and Glasgow.

Aer Arann will also benefit from Cork airport’s route support scheme.

Passenger numbers this year have continued to rise and to the end of August, growth of almost 7% more than 2007 has been recorded.

However, we know we face a particularly difficult business environment and we look forward to the support of our customers in the months ahead.

Cork airport offers direct access to more than 60 European destinations on our wide range of scheduled and chartered flights.

We have also recently announced new services to Geneva and Lisbon with Aer Lingus and Poznan with Wizz Air.

Details of these and all flights can be found at www.corkairport.com

We thank all our customers for their continued support and look forward to serving them again soon.

Kevin Cullinane
Marketing Manager
Cork Airport


I'm a big fan of Ryanair's low fares and they've done a lot for the competitiveness of the industry but that's where my respect stops.

The bullshit coming out of Michael O'Leary is astounding. Ryanair left the routes because they couldnt make it work. It was nothing to do with charges being levied at Cork or any other cock he spouts.

Fair play to Kevin Cullinane for setting the record straight.

[p_murphy]

It's also become clear that the whole purpose of the route to East Midlands was a bullying campaign against Birmingham Airport.

Now that Birmingham have cut them a deal, they've withdrawn Shannon-East Midlands as well as Cork-East Midlands.

[Some user]

It's also become clear that the whole purpose of the route to East Midlands was a bullying campaign against Birmingham Airport.

Now that Birmingham have cut them a deal, they've withdrawn Shannon-East Midlands as well as Cork-East Midlands.


Another thing I dont like is the taunting they do of other airlines. Ryanair is well known to be an Irish company and it gives a shit impression of us abroad. Agressive, dancing on graves, bullying bollocks.

[The Zurich Connection]

Another thing I dont like is the taunting they do of other airlines. Ryanair is well known to be an Irish company and it gives a shit impression of us abroad. Agressive, dancing on graves, bullying bollocks.

Well said and I couldn't agree more. I hate Michael o'leary and his 'leadership' style.

[Bennyton]

I know Kevin from workin up in the airport arite, sound man, left Heineken to work in the marketing part of the CAA, but besides that hitch he's really got his head screwed on.

Ryanair simply weren't selling seats to Glasgow Prestwick or Eastmidlands Airport as there are other routes to Birmingham and Edinburgh at more favourable times and at better prices with less shit to deal with, say your a rugged scott comin over for a rugger match, ya gonna pay 80 euro to bring your gear over aswell as 30 for a ticket and listen to their jingle while the plane falls apart and some prick in a business suit whinges about payin 8 quit for an expresso, or ya gonna pay 60 quid for an aer arann flight,tis his own fault sure!

[Actin The Sham]

Another thing I dont like is the taunting they do of other airlines. Ryanair is well known to be an Irish company and it gives a shit impression of us abroad. Agressive, dancing on graves, bullying bollocks.


So he should be nice and friendly so that all those foreign airlines will think we are nice people, eh?

He is screwing them into the ground, they've been insulated from true competition by their governments who are afraid of the unions. He has single handedly made it far cheaper for everyone in Europe to fly for less, and to explore the continent.


He pays his taxes in Ireland, and he gives cocky high fare airlines a few slaps every now and then. While I think that the CAA should stick to its guns I also think that the people who voted "No" to Lisbon did more to give "a shit impression of us abroad" then Michael O' Leary ever did. Not that any self respecting Cork person should give a shit about what anybody thinks: that is an Irish trait, not a Cork one.

[Some user]

So he should be nice and friendly so that all those foreign airlines will think we are nice people, eh?



I'm not saying he has to be nice. I'm saying that he doesnt need to be a prick. Whether its a good businessman or a successful sports star you can still be polite even if you are ruthless.

I couldnt care less about what the "foreign airlines" think but I do think that because the airline is associated strongly with Ireland (harp is Ireland's national symbol after all) that he doesnt have to dance on the graves of other airlines and act so cocky. There's a line and MOL crossed it a long time ago.

[emm-you-eff-see]

Cork airport is a shite airport. Even though there are a variety of destinations,there is only one flight a day (excluding STN and LHR) in many cases and plus the times of the flights are crap. Ryanair have several routes out of shannon and dublin, yet as irelands second city ryanair operate only 4 (or 5) routes. This is simply not good enough.No wonder the airport is in debt.I never had a problem with ryanair and will continue to use their services.Aer arann are a rip off.

[Arcadia]

Cork airport is a shite airport. Even though there are a variety of destinations,there is only one flight a day (excluding STN and LHR) in many cases and plus the times of the flights are crap. Ryanair have several routes out of shannon and dublin, yet as irelands second city ryanair operate only 4 (or 5) routes. This is simply not good enough.No wonder the airport is in debt.I never had a problem with ryanair and will continue to use their services.Aer arann are a rip off.

Cork Airport keeps losing routes.

Its controlled by the Dublin Airport Authority

Ryanair has 35 routes / destinations out of an airport in the mid-west of Ireland bog - SHANNON Co.Clare and our national carrier Aer Lingus has trans-Atlantic routes from SHANNON.

Cork is the second city allright.

SECOND CLASS.

[Tube a Pringles]

Cork airport is a shite airport. Even though there are a variety of destinations,there is only one flight a day (excluding STN and LHR) in many cases and plus the times of the flights are crap. Ryanair have several routes out of shannon and dublin, yet as irelands second city ryanair operate only 4 (or 5) routes. This is simply not good enough.No wonder the airport is in debt.I never had a problem with ryanair and will continue to use their services.Aer arann are a rip off.

Maybe you should do some research on this one. Shannon are fucked. They brought the whole fiasco on themselves by cutting uneconomical deals with MOL. At least the CAA are smart enough to put economic viability before passenger turnover.

[Actin The Sham]

Cork Airport keeps losing routes.

Its controlled by the Dublin Airport Authority

Ryanair has 35 routes / destinations out of an airport in the mid-west of Ireland bog - SHANNON Co.Clare and our national carrier Aer Lingus has trans-Atlantic routes from SHANNON.

Cork is the second city allright.

SECOND CLASS.

Now that Brian Lenihan has put a €10 departure tax on all flights, I would say that Shannon will lose most of it's Ryanair flights. Ryanair is losing money on it's operations in Shannon, and will most likely scale back significantly on it's operations in Shannon. As of now, Shannon is a low cost airport in the middle of nowhere, connected via a low cost airline to other low cost airports in the middle of nowhere. Cork has direct flights to several European capitals with full service airlines, enabling onward connections to anywhere. But if you need to fly to London Heathrow, Paris Charles De Gaulle, Amsterdam Schipol, Rome, or Geneva, you can do so direct from Cork.

Alternatively you can drive two hours up the road, (the quarry between Mallow and Buttevant and the off road test track that is Buttevants "main street," spring to mind), and fly as self loading freight on a cheap airline from a cheap airport to a field a few hundred kilometres from Frankfurt, or to a tent a hundred kilometres from Paris, and pay through the nose for the privilege of parking your car when you get back and have to face the drive back to Cork. Get a buddy to drop you up to the airport in Cork, and save on parking charges, and fly on a full service airline with allocated seating to another city airport.

Aer Lingus is still in Cork because Cork didn't enter into a pact with the devil like Shannon did. Now Shannon has Ryanair and the US military, and is advertising on 96FM for people from Cork to fly out of Shannon.

Cork Airport will always be more convenient, cheaper, and more comfortable to fly from then Shannon for people from Cork. And if you really really want to fly to the middle of nowhere with Ryanair, then you can fly Ryanair to Dublin for less then the cost of parking your car in Shannon, and connect into their network with more destinations from Dublin, then from Shannon.

I admire CAA's policy in it's dealings with Ryanair. I admire Michael O' Leary as well, and am proud of Ryanair, especially when you come into land at Stanstead and see large numbers of Ryanair B-737-800s festooned with the Irish tricolour waiting to depart. But Cork needs a good airport, if we want to connect with major European destinations.

I just hope that the debt issue could be sorted out to enable it to compete with Shannon Airport.

[Arcadia]

Now that Brian Lenihan has put a €10 departure tax on all flights, I would say that Shannon will lose most of it's Ryanair flights. Ryanair is losing money on it's operations in Shannon, and will most likely scale back significantly on it's operations in Shannon. As of now, Shannon is a low cost airport in the middle of nowhere, connected via a low cost airline to other low cost airports in the middle of nowhere. Cork has direct flights to several European capitals with full service airlines, enabling onward connections to anywhere. But if you need to fly to London Heathrow, Paris Charles De Gaulle, Amsterdam Schipol, Rome, or Geneva, you can do so direct from Cork.

Alternatively you can drive two hours up the road, (the quarry between Mallow and Buttevant and the off road test track that is Buttevants "main street," spring to mind), and fly as self loading freight on a cheap airline from a cheap airport to a field a few hundred kilometres from Frankfurt, or to a tent a hundred kilometres from Paris, and pay through the nose for the privilege of parking your car when you get back and have to face the drive back to Cork. Get a buddy to drop you up to the airport in Cork, and save on parking charges, and fly on a full service airline with allocated seating to another city airport.

Aer Lingus is still in Cork because Cork didn't enter into a pact with the devil like Shannon did. Now Shannon has Ryanair and the US military, and is advertising on 96FM for people from Cork to fly out of Shannon.

Cork Airport will always be more convenient, cheaper, and more comfortable to fly from then Shannon for people from Cork. And if you really really want to fly to the middle of nowhere with Ryanair, then you can fly Ryanair to Dublin for less then the cost of parking your car in Shannon, and connect into their network with more destinations from Dublin, then from Shannon.

I admire CAA's policy in it's dealings with Ryanair. I admire Michael O' Leary as well, and am proud of Ryanair, especially when you come into land at Stanstead and see large numbers of Ryanair B-737-800s festooned with the Irish tricolour waiting to depart. But Cork needs a good airport, if we want to connect with major European destinations.

I just hope that the debt issue could be sorted out to enable it to compete with Shannon Airport.


Fact is though.

Shannon takes an awful lot of business from Cork airport and in these times of recession will be even more attracted to a low fares airline whilst the top marque carriers can only stand by and lose even more business.

[Actin The Sham]

Fact is though.

Shannon takes an awful lot of business from Cork airport and in these times of recession will be even more attracted to a low fares airline whilst the top marque carriers can only stand by and lose even more business.

Shannon is on it's last legs. Ryanair has two loss making bases on it's network and Shannon is one of them. Also, Aer Lingus is planning on phasing out Transatlantic Services from there.

This departure tax will be the final nail in Shannon's coffin.

Commenting on this weekend’s speculation about a travel tax, Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said:

“It is not unreasonable that everybody in Ireland (incl. passengers) must play some part in shouldering the burden of the current downturn in Government finances. However, we would ask the Government to ensure that air passengers are not unfairly discriminated against in any such measures. We would ask the Government to avoid double taxing air passengers at Dublin by ensuring that the current high charges at Dublin Airport (presently €15 per departing passenger) are reduced by at least 50% to €7.50 per departing passenger in order to avoid double taxation at Dublin Airport. There is no doubt that the substantial €800m asset sale windfalls recently enjoyed by the DAA monopoly can enable them to lower these excessive passenger charges at a time of increasing travel tax.

“We would also call for a level playing field if any such tax is introduced and a similar level of tax being applied to ferry passengers in order to avoid discriminating against air passengers and in favour of ferry passengers.

“Finally, we will be seeking an urgent meeting with the Minister for Transport to outline the devastating impact that any flat rate travel tax will have on Ryanair’s low fare, loss making base at Shannon. Given that average fares at Shannon for 5 months of the year are less than €10 per passenger, this tax will cause visitor numbers at Shannon to collapse. We will be asking the Government to consider altering the basis of this passenger tax to make it a percentage (of the fare) rate of tax, rather than a flat rate of tax, which would mean that passengers paying higher fares at Dublin Airport will pay slightly more, whereas passengers travelling at extremely low fares to/from Shannon will pay proportionately less. It is important that this tax burden fall on those who can afford to pay it, and those choosing to pay higher fares should pay a slightly higher rate of tax, but those paying the lowest fares should pay a similar rate of tax, but not as speculated this weekend a €10 tax which at Shannon will equate to over a 100% rate of tax for large parts of the year”.


*****

Given O'Leary's track record, he will have no qualms about pulling the services from Shannon.

[Arcadia]

Shannon is on it's last legs. Ryanair has two loss making bases on it's network and Shannon is one of them. Also, Aer Lingus is planning on phasing out Transatlantic Services from there.

This departure tax will be the final nail in Shannon's coffin.

Commenting on this weekend’s speculation about a travel tax, Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said:

“It is not unreasonable that everybody in Ireland (incl. passengers) must play some part in shouldering the burden of the current downturn in Government finances. However, we would ask the Government to ensure that air passengers are not unfairly discriminated against in any such measures. We would ask the Government to avoid double taxing air passengers at Dublin by ensuring that the current high charges at Dublin Airport (presently €15 per departing passenger) are reduced by at least 50% to €7.50 per departing passenger in order to avoid double taxation at Dublin Airport. There is no doubt that the substantial €800m asset sale windfalls recently enjoyed by the DAA monopoly can enable them to lower these excessive passenger charges at a time of increasing travel tax.

“We would also call for a level playing field if any such tax is introduced and a similar level of tax being applied to ferry passengers in order to avoid discriminating against air passengers and in favour of ferry passengers.

“Finally, we will be seeking an urgent meeting with the Minister for Transport to outline the devastating impact that any flat rate travel tax will have on Ryanair’s low fare, loss making base at Shannon. Given that average fares at Shannon for 5 months of the year are less than €10 per passenger, this tax will cause visitor numbers at Shannon to collapse. We will be asking the Government to consider altering the basis of this passenger tax to make it a percentage (of the fare) rate of tax, rather than a flat rate of tax, which would mean that passengers paying higher fares at Dublin Airport will pay slightly more, whereas passengers travelling at extremely low fares to/from Shannon will pay proportionately less. It is important that this tax burden fall on those who can afford to pay it, and those choosing to pay higher fares should pay a slightly higher rate of tax, but those paying the lowest fares should pay a similar rate of tax, but not as speculated this weekend a €10 tax which at Shannon will equate to over a 100% rate of tax for large parts of the year”.


*****

Given O'Leary's track record, he will have no qualms about pulling the services from Shannon.

Cork also gets hammered with the €10.00 tax - Dublin escapes somewhat -no surprise there.Ryanair have 35 routes now from SNN and this tax applies to all passengers departing no matter what airline.

[Actin The Sham]

Cork also gets hammered with the €10.00 tax - Dublin escapes somewhat -no surprise there.Ryanair have 35 routes now from SNN and this tax applies to all passengers departing no matter what airline.

I would imagine that once the departure tax is challenged in court, then it will be found to be unconstitutional, as it discriminates against people based on where they live.

Ryanair's Shannon base is on it's last legs. It's load factors are declining, which is why Ryanairs ORK-EMA route was dropped, as it was cannibalising passengers from Shannon. Cork airport has seen what has happened at Shannon with regard to Aer Lingus and has not reduced the charges to Ryanair. Hence we have more airlines flying out of Cork to Europe than we have in Shannon. And remember out of those 35 European routes out of Shannon, 11 are to UK airports, 4 are to Poland, and the remaining 20 are to fields in the middle of nowhere, some distance away from secondary cities.





I predict that they will drop the €2 up to 300 KM limit, and just have a flat €10 departure tax no matter where you are flying to.

[Arcadia]

I would imagine that once the departure tax is challenged in court, then it will be found to be unconstitutional, as it discriminates against people based on where they live.

Ryanair's Shannon base is on it's last legs. It's load factors are declining, which is why Ryanairs ORK-EMA route was dropped, as it was cannibalising passengers from Shannon. Cork airport has seen what has happened at Shannon with regard to Aer Lingus and has not reduced the charges to Ryanair. Hence we have more airlines flying out of Cork to Europe than we have in Shannon. And remember out of those 35 European routes out of Shannon, 11 are to UK airports, 4 are to Poland, and the remaining 20 are to fields in the middle of nowhere, some distance away from secondary cities.





I predict that they will drop the €2 up to 300 KM limit, and just have a flat €10 departure tax no matter where you are flying to.

Ryanair wil do what it can to defend its SNN hub that is clear - either way Cork loses short-term.

Ryanair always flew to fields in the middle of knowhere thats part of their low-fares success story.

I lived in Berlin and had to pay a departure tax everytime I left - nothing unusual about that new form of taxation.

[Actin The Sham]

Ryanair wil do what it can to defend its SNN hub that is clear - either way Cork loses short-term.

Ryanair always flew to fields in the middle of knowhere thats part of their low-fares success story.

I lived in Berlin and had to pay a departure tax everytime I left - nothing unusual about that new form of taxation.

You had lots of alternative ways of departing from Germany. The same goes for the UK.

There are lots of alternative ways of departing from the UK. The channel tunnel, and regular competing ferry companies.

Ireland is a peripheral country with no alternative to getting to Europe from Cork unless one drives to Rosslare.

Therefore there should be no difference between departing from Cork or Dublin. It should be €10 no matter how long the distance travelled.

Ryanair will begin phasing back it's SNN operations within the next few months. Cork will not suffer as much. And when you lived in Berlin you could have travelled overland to another EU country without paying a departure tax. That is not an option for people living in Cork.

For reference see the effect that the departure tax imposed in Holland had on passenger numbers there. A large number of passengers started travelling from France and Belgium. Belgium has also imposed a "departure tax" now as welll though.

These taxes on the free movement of people throughout Europe are illegal, and should be challenged at the European Court. How dare they tax me for wanting to visit other European countries when I have no choice but to fly there?

Apart from all of the above, take it from me: Ryanair will reduce it's operations at SNN within the next twelve months, beginning with the cancellation of some of it's Polish routes, followed by a scaling back of routes to continental destinations.

One last thing: does Ryanair get to keep the €10 departure tax if the passenger books but doesn't fly?

This will be interesting to see how it is collected. I would prefer if the tax was payable on all bookings, and Ryanair had to pay the revenue as soon as it was paid. Then if the passenger didn't fly, the passenger could apply for a refund from Revenue, rather than having to apply for a refund from Ryanair. Right now, Ryanair charges an "administration fee" of about €15 if you apply for a refund of airport charges and taxes, which currently amount to about €14. This makes it uneconomical to apply for refunds. The new departure tax could change that.

But no matter what, SNN will lose flights over the next twelve months.

[Arcadia]

You had lots of alternative ways of departing from Germany. The same goes for the UK.

There are lots of alternative ways of departing from the UK. The channel tunnel, and regular competing ferry companies.

Ireland is a peripheral country with no alternative to getting to Europe from Cork unless one drives to Rosslare.

Therefore there should be no difference between departing from Cork or Dublin. It should be €10 no matter how long the distance travelled.

Ryanair will begin phasing back it's SNN operations within the next few months. Cork will not suffer as much. And when you lived in Berlin you could have travelled overland to another EU country without paying a departure tax. That is not an option for people living in Cork.

For reference see the effect that the departure tax imposed in Holland had on passenger numbers there. A large number of passengers started travelling from France and Belgium. Belgium has also imposed a "departure tax" now as welll though.

These taxes on the free movement of people throughout Europe are illegal, and should be challenged at the European Court. How dare they tax me for wanting to visit other European countries when I have no choice but to fly there?

Apart from all of the above, take it from me: Ryanair will reduce it's operations at SNN within the next twelve months, beginning with the cancellation of some of it's Polish routes, followed by a scaling back of routes to continental destinations.

One last thing: does Ryanair get to keep the €10 departure tax if the passenger books but doesn't fly?

This will be interesting to see how it is collected. I would prefer if the tax was payable on all bookings, and Ryanair had to pay the revenue as soon as it was paid. Then if the passenger didn't fly, the passenger could apply for a refund from Revenue, rather than having to apply for a refund from Ryanair. Right now, Ryanair charges an "administration fee" of about €15 if you apply for a refund of airport charges and taxes, which currently amount to about €14. This makes it uneconomical to apply for refunds. The new departure tax could change that.

But no matter what, SNN will lose flights over the next twelve months.


Does the UK have a tenner sterling departure tax ?

[Actin The Sham]

Does the UK have a tenner sterling departure tax ?

Dunno.

Do you have to pay a tenner departure tax when you get on to "Le Shuttle?"

I think they may have an aviation tax related to carbon emissions or something, but they have alternatives.

We?

We have nothing. Nothing but a forlorn hope to be able to get off this Godforsaken windswept rock in the North Atlantic for a few days in order to mix with our continental cousins, but no; the government are going to tax that now as well.

Still, I suppose us Cork people could drive for two or three hours to Rosslare or Dun Laoghaire and get a ferry in order to avoid the tax.

Another ill thought out tax which will hit people in Cork much harder then people in Dublin.

Typical.

[Arcadia]

Dunno.

Do you have to pay a tenner departure tax when you get on to "Le Shuttle?"

I think they may have an aviation tax related to carbon emissions or something, but they have alternatives.

We?

We have nothing. Nothing but a forlorn hope to be able to get off this Godforsaken windswept rock in the North Atlantic for a few days in order to mix with our continental cousins, but no; the government are going to tax that now as well.

Still, I suppose us Cork people could drive for two or three hours to Rosslare or Dun Laoghaire and get a ferry in order to avoid the tax.

Another ill thought out tax which will hit people in Cork much harder then people in Dublin.

Typical.

F**k all tax breaks for docklands also.

Govt.policy - everyone move to Dublin for everything.

[jd26]

O’Leary: €10 airport tax will kill off Shannon

By Niamh Hennessy
RYANAIR plans to cut its passenger numbers through Shannon Airport from two million to a mere 750,000 due to the Government’s controversial airport tax.


The airline’s chief executive, Michael O’Leary, said the reduction — brought on by the €10 departure tax announced in the budget — would doom the mid-west airport.

He said while Ryanair was to account for 60% of Shannon’s traffic this year, next year it would cut the number of aircraft based there from four to one, with the loss of 100 Ryanair jobs.



“You will see tumbleweed rolling across the ground at Shannon,” said Mr O’Leary.

“This travel tax has been badly thought out and the Government will effectively be responsible for closing Shannon Airport.”

The airport said it was in communication with all carriers at Shannon on a continuing basis, including Ryanair, and would maintain that approach.

“We have a five-year agreement with Ryanair that we are extremely happy with,” said a spokeswoman.

“We are very confident their passenger targets will be met and look forward to continuing to work with the airline beyond the existing deal, which concludes in 2010.”

However, one airport source added that Ryanair has six aircraft operating out of Shannon, serving 35 destinations, that the airline had committed to raising passenger numbers to two million by 2010 and the airport was determined the agreement would be honoured.

Shannon Airport is already reeling from the loss of its Heathrow slots and the proposed withdrawal of 300 of its staff by Aer Lingus. The cut in services by its main remaining airline would be devastating.

Meanwhile, Mr O’Leary blasted the budget as a “wasted opportunity” and warned, if taxes continued to rise, he may have to consider shifting his tax base from Ireland.

The chief executive also predicted Ryanair would be making annual profits of €800 million in five years’ time and will be carrying 100 million passengers.

Ryanair is expecting to only break even in its current financial year, mainly due to earlier high oil prices.

However, if oil prices stay under $100 a barrel, profits will rise significantly in the coming years.

Earlier this year, Ryanair was caught off guard, paying high prices for oil after failing to hedge when the price was low.

“Looking back it was stupid not to hedge on oil but we’re not hedged for the remainder of the year and that’s a good move,” said Mr O’Leary.

[Stall De Ball Biy]

Has O' Leary got so much power that he can make or break Airports with his single airline? It seems incredible that he could do this. How ethical would it be for him to close down airports? There are plenty of other airlines but just not as many as there used to be so it seems O' Leary, having wiped out some competition, now is in such a powerful position as to pull the plug on an entire Airport and that should never be allowed to happen IMO!

[Actin The Sham]

Has O' Leary got so much power that he can make or break Airports with his single airline? It seems incredible that he could do this. How ethical would it be for him to close down airports? There are plenty of other airlines but just not as many as there used to be so it seems O' Leary, having wiped out some competition, now is in such a powerful position as to pull the plug on an entire Airport and that should never be allowed to happen IMO!

He can pull his planes out of Shannon tomorrow if he wants. Shannon is quite entitled to go out and sell itself to other airlines if it wants.

The only reason Shannon exists is because originally transatlantic flights needed to refuel and Shannon was the most westerly point of Europe on the route from New York to London, Paris, and Berlin.

[jd26]

Has O' Leary got so much power that he can make or break Airports with his single airline? It seems incredible that he could do this. How ethical would it be for him to close down airports? There are plenty of other airlines but just not as many as there used to be so it seems O' Leary, having wiped out some competition, now is in such a powerful position as to pull the plug on an entire Airport and that should never be allowed to happen IMO!

A lot of people have been quick to criticise Cork Airport for not doing a deal with Ryanair, but at least Cork is not completely dependent on one airline. Losing Aer Lingus or Ryanair would be a big blow, but people would still be able to travel. If Shannon loses Ryanair, it would be left with transatlantic and a single Aer France route to Paris.

[Arcadia]

Aer Lingus to add nine new routes next year
Aer LingusThe Irish Times takes no responsibility for the content
or availability of other websitesAer Lingus said today it will add nine routes to Britain and Europe starting next summer.

The new routes include Dublin to Sofia, Bulgaria, and Cork to Lisbon, Portugal the airline said in a statement.

“Today's announcement marks the continued development of Aer Lingus's short-haul network, with a focus on capitalising on our most popular European services,” chief executive officer Dermot Mannion said.

Aer Lingus also plans to increase frequencies on 17 existing routes starting next year.

[Actin The Sham]

Aer Lingus to add nine new routes next year
Aer LingusThe Irish Times takes no responsibility for the content
or availability of other websitesAer Lingus said today it will add nine routes to Britain and Europe starting next summer.

The new routes include Dublin to Sofia, Bulgaria, and Cork to Lisbon, Portugal the airline said in a statement.

“Today's announcement marks the continued development of Aer Lingus's short-haul network, with a focus on capitalising on our most popular European services,” chief executive officer Dermot Mannion said.

Aer Lingus also plans to increase frequencies on 17 existing routes starting next year.

They are also starting routes from Cork to Rennes and Lanzorote. I'm glad CAA didn't give into O'Leary two months ago. I'd much rather go to mainland Europe with Aer Lingus rather than an Industrial Estate near Birmingham or a former military base somewhere near Glasgow with Ryanair just so that O' Leary can play Cork and Shannon off against each other.

[Chef]

As a Cork person living in Scandinavia I find travelling to Cork a nighmare as regards prices if you do not want to travel with Ryanair.
I nearly always fly to Dublin direct and get the train down. Much easier and the price is a bit cheaper than if I flew via Amsterdam or Frankfurt or Paris.
I am amazed that Cork airport is still very limited as regards choice of flights and do not get me started on those air bridges.
Pity Pity.

[Arcadia]

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

CAA board hit by shock resignation

By Eoin English
INFLUENTIAL Irish American Loretta Brennan-Glucksman has resigned from the board of Cork Airport.


The shock move by the internationally recognised figure was confirmed yesterday by the Cork Airport Authority (CAA).

The resignation is yet another blow to the airport body which is still without a chief executive three months after Joe Gantly’s resignation as chairman.

Her decision means the 12-person CAA has lost three members in the last year or so.




Former board member Eoin Ó Cathain, the managing director of Ó Cathain Iasc Teo, died in July 2007. Mr Gantly stood down in July.

Now Ms Brennan-Glucksman’s decision to step down will increase pressure on the Government to appoint a replacement for her and for Mr Gantly.

A supporter of Ireland and of University College Cork, and chairperson of the American Ireland Fund, it is understood Ms Brennan-Glucksman tendered her resignation in writing to Transport Minister Noel Dempsey several weeks ago.

It was not clear why the New York-based philanthropist stepped down. She was uncontactable last night.

The CAA declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding her decision. A spokesperson said it is a matter for the minister.

Mr Dempsey said a process to fill the three vacancies is underway.

And he said he hopes to make an announcement on a replacement for Mr Gantly “in the near future”.

However, sources close to the board have suggested Ms Brennan-Glucksman resigned out of frustration over the Government’s handling of the break-up of Aer Rianta and the delay in the CAA securing independence from the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA).

The delay in appointing a new chairman to the authority could also have played a role.

Ms Brennan-Glucksman played a vital role in the CAA’s decision earlier this year to accept a controversial €113 million debt package to secure independence from the DAA.

Ms Brennan-Glucksman continues her promotion of Irish interests here and in the US through her directorship on the board of New York University, her establishment of the Glucksman Ireland House, a centre for Irish Studies in New York and most recently her chairmanship of the American Ireland Fund.

[delzer]

As a Cork person living in Scandinavia I find travelling to Cork a nighmare as regards prices if you do not want to travel with Ryanair.
I nearly always fly to Dublin direct and get the train down. Much easier and the price is a bit cheaper than if I flew via Amsterdam or Frankfurt or Paris.
I am amazed that Cork airport is still very limited as regards choice of flights and do not get me started on those air bridges.
Pity Pity.

you should fly from dublin with ryanir to cork normally cheaper than the train.

[Actin The Sham]

As a Cork person living in Scandinavia I find travelling to Cork a nighmare as regards prices if you do not want to travel with Ryanair.
I nearly always fly to Dublin direct and get the train down. Much easier and the price is a bit cheaper than if I flew via Amsterdam or Frankfurt or Paris.
I am amazed that Cork airport is still very limited as regards choice of flights and do not get me started on those air bridges.
Pity Pity.


Low cost airlines don't use air bridges.

I'd rather walk up and down stairs then pay an extra €200, per flight which is what I would be doing if the Aer Lingus/BA duopoly on the ORK-LHR route was still in existence.

[emm-you-eff-see]

Aer Lingus to add nine new routes next year
Aer LingusThe Irish Times takes no responsibility for the content
or availability of other websitesAer Lingus said today it will add nine routes to Britain and Europe starting next summer.

The new routes include Dublin to Sofia, Bulgaria, and Cork to Lisbon, Portugal the airline said in a statement.

“Today's announcement marks the continued development of Aer Lingus's short-haul network, with a focus on capitalising on our most popular European services,” chief executive officer Dermot Mannion said.

Aer Lingus also plans to increase frequencies on 17 existing routes starting next year.


Those flights will probabaly at shit times which don't suit.

[i_didnt_do_nawtin]

Another thing I dont like is the taunting they do of other airlines. Ryanair is well known to be an Irish company and it gives a shit impression of us abroad. Agressive, dancing on graves, bullying bollocks.

Bollocks. That shit impression transports millions of people every year. People don't give a fuck