The only airport in Ireland permitted to function unimpeded as per the market place is Dublin and to my mind the DAA having to bother with both Cork and snn is nothing but a blinking nuisance. We hear sometimes that both Cork and snn benefit from the expertise provided by the DAA Mother Ship back in Dublin. How true is this? What kind of expertise is not locally available in Cork and snn? I know that Cork is still but a pup in comparison to snn and Dublin but you would think that after 45 years plus the place could at least work away itself from the technical point of view as regards operations, administration, etc and I am sure that after nearly seventy years of operations snn is even more competent at managing itself locally.
I think that as long as the DAA and it's local puppets in Cork have anything to do with the place Cork will tend to lose out because if anything new and potentially good comes along in terms of promising routes especially medium to long haul ex-Ireland the usual grab all mentality of the Dublin HQ will see the business stay put in Dublin.
No, on the whole the politicised farce that is the DAA and what was the even more farcisal, comical and wildly expensive Aer Rianta is and has been no good for Cork Airport in my opinion. I feel certainly that Cork would have had at least a few America flights before now only for the DAA and Aer Rianta and for that reason alone they are in my opinion deserving of very, very little regard. Perhaps I am too narrow minded in my above view but that is how it seems for me. What passion is there in Cork for the airport by those charged for it's care?
Far more preferable to be snooping out on aeroplane spotters taking pictures of a Czech Air Force Airbus. Some expertise, some passion!