From atwonline.com:
Irish state airport operator Aer Rianta and Irish regulators are embroiled in an acrimonious dispute over the Commission for Aviation Regulation's determination that Aer Rianta can recover only IEŁ272 million ($312 million) for capital expenditure from landing charges between 2001 and 2006, not the IEŁ998 million it wanted. Commissioner Bill Prasifka criticized the operator for inefficiency, lack of transparency and poor consultation over its plans and ruled that the maximum it could charge airlines should rise from IEŁ4.65 to IEŁ5.29 per passenger at Cork and Shannon Airports but fall from IEŁ4.65 to IEŁ4.41 at Dublin. Aer Rianta said it plans to appeal the ruling and emphasized that the level of investment is needed to keep up with rising traffic at its three international airports, particularly Dublin, which has been plagued by congestion. "We have a responsibility to provide an airport in one of the most up-and-coming countries in Europe which is at least the equivalent of those in other European capitals," Aer Rianta Chairman Noel Hanlon said. "Are we going to go back to banana republic airports?" Airport charges have been a source of friction between Aer Rianta and the airlines, most notably budget operator Ryanair, which blamed high charges at Dublin for its decision to set up a new European hub at Charleroi in Belgium and expand its operations from London Stansted instead of the Irish city.