AER LINGUS yesterday confirmed it will transfer its operations to the new Terminal 2 (T2) at Dublin airport, after the Aviation Regulator reiterated its decision not to impose differential pricing between the airport’s two terminals.
However, Ryanair is considering appealing the regulator’s determination for a second time.
Last month the Aviation Appeals Panel upheld a complaint from the budget carrier and recommended passengers using the new terminal should pay a different charge to those travelling through the existing Terminal 1 (T1).
This ruling threw the proposed opening of the new €609 million terminal in November into doubt, as Aer Lingus (which is earmarked as T2’s anchor tenant) warned it would not move to the new facility if differential pricing were introduced.
However, after considering the appeals panel’s recommendation, the Commission on Aviation Regulation (CAR) reconfirmed its original position, saying yesterday it would not require the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) to impose differential pricing between terminals.
Ryanair condemned the decision and said the regulator had ignored the appeals panel’s ruling.
The Michael O’Leary-led airline said its lawyers are now studying the CAR’s decision.
“If they find that there are strong grounds for appeal, they will appeal,” it said.
The new terminal will cater for Aer Lingus and long-haul carriers, while Ryanair will continue to operate out of the existing terminal.
In a submission to the CAR, Ryanair argued that the DAA was bundling basic access to Dublin airport with high-cost facilities.
This favoured high-fare carriers over their low-fare competitors and harmed consumers through higher prices, it said.
It argued that T1 users should not have to bear the costs of T2, nor should they have to pay for the capacity that will become redundant at T1 once some airlines moved to new terminal.
However, in a commission paper published yesterday, the CAR said it was not convinced by Ryanair’s rationale for requiring T2 users to bear the T1 “redundancy” costs.
The DAA welcomed the CAR’s decision and said it reflects the wishes of the majority of airlines that use Dublin airport, as well as representative bodies from the business and tourism sectors.
“The fairest way for passengers to pay for standard airport services is through a single charge whereby all passengers pay the same fee to use the same core services,” it said.
Airlines already pay different prices depending on the optional services they choose to use, such as air bridges, the DAA said.
However, in a submission to the CAR, Ryanair dismissed the current set of differential charges levied by the DAA as “tinkering on the margin”.
Meanwhile, Aer Lingus argued that all airlines would benefit from T2 regardless of whether they are operating there or not, because of reduced congestion across the airport.
It also opposed differential pricing on the grounds that there was no difference between the service offered by the two terminals.
