Originally Posted by EI-EIDW
The increase in charges was know since 2009 so it was not recent at all.
The decision of the aviation regulator to approve the increase may have been taken in 2009, but its implementation was only due this year. Fortunately, the DAA decided to postpone the increase, but thats not enough, they should be coming down.
Originally Posted by EI-EIDW
So if Aer Lingus are not happy with charges why are they basing extra aircraft and increaseing flights?
They're not basing extra aircraft, they've actually reduced their fleet size and capacity on many routes. If you're referring to Aer Lingus Regional, thats all down to Aer Arann, not Aer Lingus.
Originally Posted by Noxegon
Okay, I'll give you that. Still, I'd put it to you that the DUB landing fee is insignificant in terms of the overall cost of a flight. DUB could be €2 per passenger and the airlines would still look for it to be cheaper.
As was proved with Shannon, a €10 tax (passed on to passengers) could be the difference between whether an airline makes a profit or loss on a route.
Originally Posted by Shamrogue
Leo was spot on.
Airlines will moan about charges, the press are happy to carry the headlines as it's pandering to the public/tourist organisations. It gets the airline in question free advertising and keeps them top of mind for the consumer. Politician takes a rattling - so what's new.
All business's do the same - rant about rates, or the price of the lecky or whatever. If you don't - it'll keep going up till you are no longer in business.
Householders do it - water charges etc. No one rings up and thanks the waterboard or whoever for putting up a rate.
If you drop the taxes to zero, and further reduced landing charges - in two years time there would be moaning that terminal 2 looked more like an old cow shed and how could it be allowed to get that way.
Shamrogue, this isn't a tax on business, the airlines pay their share of tax like everyone else and nobody is calling for them to pay nothing in tax, that would be stupid. This is a tax on tourists visiting this country, and at a time when we're competing for tourists more than ever and relying on the tourism sector to provide some growth in the economy. It makes no sense, and whatever little revenue it brings in is no doubt outweighed by the negative impact it has on the greater economy.
But seen as you want to use analogies, do you think we should increase corporation tax? Its the same principle, at a time when we're trying to bring inward investment to the country and attract companies like Google, IBM, Faceb00k etc., it would be stupid to increase corporation tax. Again, whatever short-term gain we might get in increased tax revenue would be outweighed by the long-term damage it would do to FDI prospects, and would result in job losses as many companies would just up and leave, which Dell and others have proved they have no problem doing, no matter how big their presence is.
Originally Posted by EI-A330-300
DUB is one of the lowest charges in Europe.
Compared to Heathrow or Paris-CDG maybe, but you're comparing an airport with a throughput of circa 18 million a year with airports that have a throughput of 50 million+ a year.