Buttimer hits out at airport chief delay

THE Government has been criticised for delays in appointing a new chairman of the Cork Airport Authority (CAA).

Fine Gael senator Jerry Buttimer said the fact that the CAA still has no chairman three months after the resignation of former chairman Joe Gantly is hampering the airport’s ability to capitalise on record passenger figures published yesterday.

Passenger throughput at the airport reached 2.6 million for the first nine months of the year — a 5% increase over the same period last year.

According to quarterly figures released by the airport authorities, London traffic grew by 6% to 717,000 passengers, while British provincial traffic grew 34.3% to 536,000 passengers to the end of September. Passenger volumes to and from continental Europe on scheduled services grew by 2.1%, with more than 685,000 passengers travelling to European destinations since the beginning of the year.

A further 310,000 passengers have flown to various sun, ski and pilgrimage destinations on charter flights since the start of the year.

However, the number of passengers travelling on domestic routes declined by 10% to 337,000 passengers during the first nine months of this year.

Mr Buttimer questioned Junior Transport Minister Noel Ahern on the issue. Mr Ahern said the department has received business plans from Cork and Shannon airports.

“I expect shortly to receive a finalised commentary on those plans by the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) when it submits its business plan,” he said. “I would expect the DAA’s commentary to address recent trends in the aviation market, the challenges facing the State airports and the financial and operational aspects of restructuring.”

He said he did not expect the plans to be published because the content is commercially sensitive.

He said the department will have to consider the DAA’s commentary and the implications of the individual business plans for the future operation of the airports “before deciding on the best way forward”.

But Mr Buttimer rubbished the excuse.

“The CAA needs a chairman to develop a vision and an overall strategy to drive the airport’s business plan and its future growth,” he said.

All three State airports are still under the control of the DAA, almost four years after the break-up of Aer Rianta was announced. A row over the debt level to be carried by an independent Cork Airport has contributed to the delay.

In order to break the logjam between the DAA and the CAA, industrial relations trouble shooter Peter Cassells was appointed earlier this year to mediate on a level of debt that was acceptable to both sides. The CAA voted narrowly to accept his recommendation that the CAA takes responsibility for debt of €113 million in return for the transfer of net assets of €220m on separation.