Airline warns Irish airports over cost of landing fees

RYANAIR said yesterday it will open five major bases across Europe in the next year, but none of them are likely to be in Ireland.

Announcing the company’s interim results, Ryanair deputy chief executive Michael Cawley also said the airline has had talks with the Dublin, Cork and Shannon airport authorities, but will not launch major routes out of the country until it get a deal on cheap or free landing fees.

“They are recognising that they are competing with airports across 26 countries in Europe and we are telling them and they are listing to what the competitive prices are for our business,” he said.