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Call to axe Donegal and
Derry flight subsidies
07.03.08
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RYANAIR has called on
the Government to scrap the subsidies on flights to
Donegal and Derry from Dublin. The low-cost airline
also called for subsidies to four other regional
airports including Galway, Knock, Sligo and Kerry to
be axed. |
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The company made its
call last week just before the deadline closed for
tenders to operate the six public service obligation
(PSO) routes from 2008 to 2011. It claimed the
Government had paid more than €100m to subsidise the
six regional routes in the past six years. |
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However, Aer Arann
chief executive Pádraig Ó Céidigh disputed this
figure. He said PSO routes were part of Government
policy and were approved by the European Commission.
Mr. Ó Céidigh said Aer Arann, which won four of six
PSO contracts last time around, had simply followed
a "highly transparent" procurement process.
He said Aer Arann was awarded a fifth contract when
Loganair pulled out of the Knock route. Loganair
continues to service the subsidised route between
Dublin and Derry. Ryanair, BMI Regional, CityJet and
European Express all applied without success for the
PSO contracts in 2005.
The successful contractors for 2008 to 2011 will be
announced on May 3. A number of Donegal patients
avail of the subsidised flights to cut the travel
time to their treatment in Dublin. |
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