LOW-COST AIRLINE Ryanair will cut some 1,600 flights from Dublin next year, accusing the airport of “becoming uncompetitive”.
The airline today released its schedule for 2017, which will see it carry over 14 million customers in and out of the country.
There will be increased flights and frequencies at Shannon and Cork but a reduction in seats at Dublin, with Ryanair saying DAA has “withdrawn growth incentives”.
Ryanair, which has delivered over 70% of the traffic growth at Dublin in 2014, 2015 and 2016, will now switch 3% of seats away from Dublin to airports elsewhere in Europe.
In total, Ryanair will fly 85 routes from Dublin, including two new flights to Palma and a new daily flight to Tenerife.
In Shannon and Cork, new flights will commence to Lanzarote, with Cork also adding five weekly flights to Malaga.
Ryanair’s Kenny Jacobs said:
We are pleased with this early launch date of our Irish summer 2017 schedule with more frequency to sun destinations at lower fares, making family holidays even more affordable.
“It’s a pity the DAA chose to discontinue its growth incentive into 2017, which means that Dublin Airport is becoming uncompetitive, and which incentivises Ryanair to switch growth to other lower cost airports in Europe.”
Dublin Airport said in response that its Growth Incentive Scheme remains in place. It also said separate schemes to promote the provision of new short-haul and long-haul routes were also available.
Dublin Airport Managing Director Vincent Harrison said the Ryanair growth was still backed by incentive schemes.
We are disappointed that Ryanair has decided to reduce some of its capacity from Dublin next year.
“We’d like to thank Ryanair for growing its business significantly at Dublin over the past three years and we look forward to continuing to work closely with them to support their route network from Dublin in the future.”
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