The airport terminal is shrinking
For years Aer Rianta and, more recently, Cork Airport Authority have been appeasing dissatisfied airlines, passengers and the general public by pointing to the new terminal that is finally due to open in April.
The terminal was designed to cater for three million passengers per year. Early indications are that the airport will easily exceed that figure this year.
While the new building is visually attractive, many questions are being asked about its use.
This is primarily due to the fact that a number of subtle but significant changes have been made to its design before and during the construction phase.
These include:
1. A major reduction in the floor space on all three floors of the new building.
2. The reduction of the number of airidges from six to one. Cork will now have the distinction of being the only airport in Europe that has only one airbridge.
3. The scrapping of the proposed link between the old and the new terminals.
4. The abandonment of plans to provide covered walkways to aircraft parked in remote stands ensuring that passengers will continue to get soaked to the skin during inclement weather.
There are many other less obvious changes that will become apparent when the terminal is operational.
Plans for further urgently needed infrastructural improvements have been put on hold indefinitely.
The decision to put the airport under the effective control of the Dublin Airport Authority is the cause of many of these difficulties.
It is time for Transport Minister Martin Cullen to intervene to ensure that Cork airport is allowed to reach its full potential in the years ahead.
Cllr Tom O’Driscoll
Cork City Council
City Hall
Cork
