Ryanair boss rules out return of Cork-Dublin flights

The good motorway network means there's no market for the flights, said Michael O'Leary

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary has ruled out the possibility of flights resuming between Cork and Dublin.

Ryanair's chief executive has ruled out the possibility that flights between Cork and Dublin could resume in the future.

Michael O'Leary said that because of a "very important, good motorway network" between the two cities, as well as train journeys that take less than two hours, he does not think the flights will return. 

Mr O'Leary said the airline's flight from Dublin to Kerry is the only one that is justified. 

"We operate one domestic from Kerry to Dublin, where the road journey is five hours, and that's now taking place on a green, clean aircraft. So I think that's acceptable," he said in Brussels on Wednesday. 

But in reality, if you have a small country like Ireland, with a very important, good motorway network, the market determines that there's no market for short-haul flights.

"Ryanair was the main airline operating Cork-Dublin flights; we had three flights a day with 97% load factors, and once the motorway was finished, load factor went from 97% to 23%.”

On Tuesday, DAA chief executive Kenny Jacobs told the Irish Examiner he could see the Cork to Dublin route coming back.

"I’d be amazed if it doesn’t return at some point. It won’t come back at the numbers it was. It was a route that had too much frequency, and that can kill a route," said Mr Jacobs. 

The Cork-Dublin service, operated by both Ryanair and Aer Lingus Regional, ended in 2011 when the M8 motorway dramatically cut driving times between both cities.