THE DUBLIN AIRPORT CAP?
Ryanair, Ireland’s biggest airline, today (Thurs, 8 Jan) welcomed the complaint submitted by Airlines for America (A4A) to the US Dept of Transport, which correctly highlights that Ireland is in breach of its legal obligations as a result of Dublin Airport’s illegal traffic cap, which has the potential to force some US airlines to lose their existing slot rights, while also preventing other US airlines from growing their routes and traffic to Dublin, due to this illegal traffic cap, despite the fact that Dublin Airport has opened a 2nd runway and has capacity for up to 60m pax p.a.
This action by A4A follows a similar, successful legal action last year by Ryanair, Aer Lingus, and others, which secured a stay against the damaging impact of Dublin Airport’s illegal cap, and its referral to the European Court of Justice. While airlines have been defending freedom of movement on and off the island of Ireland, freedom of movement, guaranteed under the EU-US open skies agreement, Ireland’s Govt, led by Micheál “do-nothing” Martin with a 20-seat majority, continue to sit on their hands 13 months after their Programme for Govt promised to scrap the Dublin Airport cap “as soon as possible“.
This continued failure by Micheál Martin to deliver on his Govt promises, has now become an international embarrassment for Ireland before both the European Courts, and now the US Administration as well.
Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary said:
“While the US Airlines have now initiated legal proceedings against Ireland in the US, our “do-nothing” Taoiseach continues his worldwide tour, with this week’s 4 day stop-off in China, where he will waste the entire week talking about international issues, on which he has no impact, while his Govt – despite a 20-seat majority – delivers nothing here at home.
Micheál Martin, who spends more time on worldwide tours than Elton John, prefers hobnobbing with world leaders rather than delivering his Govt Program here at home.
What exactly does Micheál “do-nothing” Martin mean when his Govt Programme promised to scrap the Dublin Airport cap “as soon as possible“? Is it one week, one month, one year, or whenever his worldwide tour to Brazil, South Africa, Angola, and now China finally ends??
This is a “do-nothing” Taoiseach leading a “do-nothing” Govt, where overseas travel, and photo ops take priority over delivering on Govt promises at home. Ireland now faces censure in the EU Courts over this illegal airport traffic cap, and now runs the real risk that the US Dept of Transport will block Aer Lingus flights landing in the US, solely because Micheál Martin – with a 20 seat majority – has failed for 13 months to do anything to deliver his Govt promise to scrap this illegal cap “as soon as possible“.