Ryanair to cut Dublin flights by 20%

Ryanair is to cut flights from Dublin by 20% this winter. Four fewer Ryanair aircraft, equating to 200 flights, will fly from the airport this year, that airline said today.

Ryanair said its Dublin traffic this winter will decline by a further 250,000 passengers compared to last winter’s figures.

Giving reasons for the decision today, Ryanair said Dublin is one of its two most expensive base airports (Stansted is the other) and slammed the Government's "stupid" levy of €10 on tickets.

"Traffic at Dublin airport is collapsing (down 11% or one million fewer than in the first half of 2009) under the weight of these high airport fees and this stupid tourist tax," Ryanair said in a statement.

The Dublin Airport Authority hit back at Ryanair's assertion that airport charges were at the root of its decision to cut flights.

"The DAA contends that Ryanair’s decision is purely related to the current economic downturn...The DAA expects Ryanair will be one of the first airlines to expand its services out of Dublin Airport when economic conditions improve," it said today.

The DAA also said Ryanair's own charges have dramatically increased recently.

"Airport charges at Dublin Airport are regulated and the regulator has sanctioned some increases over the past three years. During the same three-year period, according to recent independently verified figures, Ryanair’s own charges have exploded," the DAA said, and added it would highlight:

• Ryanair’s baggage check-in charge has increased by 600% since 2006

• The charge for using a credit card to book a Ryanair flight has increased by 285% since 2006

• The cost of changing a Ryanair flight booking has increased by 66% since 2006

• The cost of carrying sports equipment on a Ryanair flight has increased by 97% since 2006

"Ryanair claims that its charges are discretionary; however passengers have no choice but to pay its online check-in charge. Irish consumers also have to pay Ryanair’s credit card charge since Visa does not offer its Electron card product in Ireland," the DAA said.