Passengers to pay for €1.2bn airport upgrade

LONG-SUFFERING passengers will have to pay for the expansion of the country’s main airport after plans for a new terminal were unveiled without any funding in place.

Management at chronically congested Dublin Airport warned the ambitious 10-year expansion plan, costing €1.2 billion, would not go ahead without a 50% increase in airport charges - from a rate of €5 to €7.50 per passenger.

Commissioner for Aviation Regulation Bill Prasifka is due to make a decision by October 1 on whether to approve the DAA’s application for the increase, which would almost inevitably be passed from airlines to their passengers.