DAA: 'Dublin Airport will learn from Heathrow mistakes'

Dublin Airport's new terminal building will be open for business in two years, but there won't be any recurrence of the chaotic scenes at the opening of London's Heathrow's new check in facility, according to Dublin Airport Authority CEO Declan Collier.

The announcement of the DAA's annual results this evening show profits from normal trading activities of €109m for 2007, up 56% on the €69.5m the previous year.

The DAA said its profits for the year after exceptional items amounted to €348m.

The exceptional items amounted to €239m and were mainly as a result of the profit on the disposal of the group's shareholding in Birmingham Airport.

Total passenger numbers through Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports exceeded the 30 million mark for the first time during 2007 as they rose by 8% to 30.1 million.

Passenger traffic at Dublin airport grew by 10% to 23.2m, which makes Dublin the eighth busiest airport in Europe.

Shannon airport saw a 6% increase in terminal passengers to bring its total to 3.2 million.

The figures show the first full year of operations at Cork airport's new terminal building saw a 6% increase in passenger numbers to reach a record level of 3.2 million.