Ryanair has accused Dublin Airport manager DAA of hiking passenger charges by 10 per cent from next year to pay for spending on unnecessary “gold-plated” projects.
Air travel regulator the Irish Aviation Authority sets the charges that Dublin Airport can levy on airlines for the passengers they fly out of there.
DAA confirmed that it will increase the highest levy it charges next year to €10.20 from €9.10 for the winter and to €14.25 from €12.70 for the summer.
Michael O’Leary, Ryanair chief executive, accused State company DAA of jumping at “the first opportunity to hike its already high prices” to pay for a €3 billion capital spending programme.
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Projects planned by the DAA for Dublin include a 1.4km tunnel connecting the eastern and western sections of the airport, at a cost of €265 million.
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Ryanair has condemned the plan on multiple occasions.
“Instead of wasting money on unwanted tunnels, the DAA should lower its high fees to grow Irish tourism, jobs – not penalise airlines and passengers with higher fees," Mr O’Leary argued.
He added it was “bad enough” that the Government had failed to axe a 32 million annual passenger limit on the airport as it had promised to do when it took office earlier this year.
“Now Dublin Airport is raising fees by 10 per cent in 2026 so they can build tunnels to nowhere, which is driving up costs for passengers simply because it’s a monopoly,” said Mr O’Leary.
He demanded that DAA cut charges and boost tourism, which he warned would otherwise move to airports in Europe that are cutting their fees.
DAA responded that the IAA sets and regulates its charges at Dublin Airport.
“The one euro increase in charges for 2026 is very modest and necessary to allow us to continue to improve standards for passengers, while ensuring that airlines - including Ryanair, which has just enjoyed its biggest year ever at Dublin Airport - can continue to grow their operations here,” the company said.
DAA maintains that Dublin’s passenger charges are among the lowest in Europe.
It increased charges for passengers using remote stands to €6.90 from €6.15 during the summer season and to €3.65 from €3.10 for the winter.
The airport will charge airlines €12.90 for passengers using “satellite stands” next summer, from €11.50 and €8.85 from €7.90 for the summer.
