Ryanair offers to pay for new Dublin Airport terminal

Low-cost airline Ryanair is not pleased with the Dublin Airport Authority's (DAA) plan to build a second terminal and has offered to build it itself at a third of the cost.

DAA aims to create a "bright, modern" terminal building to cope with growing passenger traffic at Dublin, which will feature almost 60 check-in desks as well as self-service kiosks.

However, Ryanair believes that the terminal is "badly designed" and "in the wrong location". What's more, it says the cost of the development, originally less than €200 million, has spiralled to €750 million and has offered to build a second terminal itself for €250 million.

The Ryanair development would be "in a better location for the second runway and is a more passenger-friendly design".

Speaking at a press conference, Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said: "The DAA cannot be trusted to build efficient, low-cost facilities".

Ryanair, which is also angry about the DAA's plan to increase airport charges, is now planning to submit a complaint to the Competition Authority asking for an investigation into the terminal's rising costs.

Dublin Airport is the largest in Ireland and has begun a drive to increase passenger numbers from the present 20 million to more than 30 million within ten years.

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