Terminal unlikely to open on schedule

CORK Airport’s new multi-million passenger terminal is likely to miss its May 10 opening date and instead open in the hectic summer season.

There were fears last night that the opening could be delayed by a number of weeks, leading to a chaotic situation as operations are transferred from the old to the new terminal during the peak summer season.

As rumours of construction delays dogging the project intensified, the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), which is overseeing the work, revealed that the May 10 opening date is being reviewed daily.

The date was announced earlier this year amid controversy between the DAA and the Cork Airport Authority (CAA) about who should carry the cost of the terminal.

Cork Airport chiefs rejected previous rumours of construction delays and insisted that the opening date was achievable. But the rumours persisted.

Last night, the DAA insisted it is still targeting May 10 as the date on which the new terminal becomes operational.

“Construction of this terminal is almost complete and, as with any project of this scale and complexity, we are assessing the target date on a daily basis,” a spokesman said.

However, sources at Cork Airport described the May 10 opening date as a “challenging target” that is unlikely to be met.

Sources admitted that construction has gone on longer than expected and work will not be finished for a number of weeks.

The main contractors, Rohcon, and all relevant subcontractors, are working around the clock to get the project finished.

It is understood all major construction will be finished by the end of this month. But a lot of work on the terminal’s backroom operations needs to be done before the building can be cleared by the project architects and opened to the public.

While some training for airport and airline staff has taken place, a full training programme has yet to take place in a “live” terminal.

But the DAA insisted it is not ruling out the May 10 deadline yet.

A report is still awaited from Aviation Economics, a London-based consultancy appointed last week to resolve the debt row between the DAA and CAA over who carries the cost of the new terminal.

Meanwhile, Wizz Air, the newest low-cost airline in central and Eastern Europe will hold a press conference in Cork on Friday to announce its expansion plans from Cork Airport. There were no details on what the airline is planning.