A RATTLED Taoiseach opened the door yesterday for negotiations on the controversial €100 million Cork Airport debt issue.

A decision that could force airport operator BAA to comply with an order to sell three of its airports was restored by the Court of Appeal in the UK today.

SHANNON airport is operating with both hands behind its back and in the impossible situation of having to compete against its employer, the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), and the newly opened T2.

LABOUR leader Eamon Gilmore insisted yesterday the huge decline in passenger numbers at Shannon will not be tackled by just transferring management of the airport from the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) to the Shannon Airport Authority (SAA).

PASSENGER charges at Dublin Airport are set to rise by almost 13% next year based on proposed increases announced by the Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR).

A PROPOSAL on partial privatisation of Aer Lingus, a second terminal at Dublin Airport and the end of the Shannon stopover will be brought to Cabinet by Transport Minister Martin Cullen today.

Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary unveiled record profits for the airline today but admitted it is unlikely there will be a repeat performance this year.

Ryanair has expressed confidence that plans for a second main runway at Dublin Airport will become a reality, but has warned its costs should not exceed the planned €250m.

Aer Lingus management has said it "reluctantly accepts" a recommendation from an expert panel that it should pay almost €200m towards the pensions of its current and former staff — though its shareholders must still give the green light.

Ryanair is unlikely to start any new routes from Cork until next September, with the airline saying yesterday that it will be harder to grow from there than from other Irish airports.

Cork Chamber is set to spearhead a renewed campaign to secure independent and debt-free status for struggling Cork Airport.

Dozens of artworks in the hands of a former state-owned hotel chain belong to the people of Ireland, Arts Minister John O’Donoghue insisted tonight.

More than 3.2 million passengers travelled through the airport, marking a 4% increase on the same month last year.

The head of DAA says unless the laws are changed, building a second runway at Dublin Airport will be a disaster.

Transport Minister Leo Varadkar is in favour of Shannon Airport operating as an independent entity.

What’s another year?

A COMPANY licensed by the Dublin Airport Authority to sell London rail tickets from kiosks at Dublin Airport has claimed its business there is “close to collapse” due to an orchestrated campaign of harassment, bullying and obstruction of its staff by Ryanair and its agents.

RYANAIR has announced that it has taken on Edelman as its external public relations/media communications adviser, after what it called “a very competitive tender process”.

THE Government faces a week of sustained pressure over its apparent u-turn on the controversial Cork Airport debt issue.