we need jet service on man route to bring back pax numbers
I do think the props are a factor in MAN numbers. For years only prop NOC users would have experienced was DUB route which was a very poor service, regular cancellations and shaky landings in the old dirty noisy 42s in winter weather. Q400 was luxury by comparison but that's the perception.
The prop/jet point is often dismissed and of course it's better to have an economical route and frequency, but that usually means higher average fares also. Even on newer ATRs you'll still see people on social media complaining about downgrade of DUB-UK routes to EIR, like this week:
Tw*et "Does this mean EI removing AirBus from Dub>Man route? Ewww"
Indeed it should be included in the airports charges as its very miss leading to passengers ...
Doubt anyone would disagree, but it is a reality they wouldn't survive in absence of an alternative revenue channel. It started as a dev fee at a time when duty free and other ancillary revenue (and subsidy) disappeared, clearly now it's become of core funding.
I don't think it's easy to backtrack now, while dropping it might attract more users, FR would kick up a right stink and possibly pull routes if charges were passed back to them, other marginal routes like EDI would go.
The dev fee probably indirectly stimulates demand by keeping airline charges and overall fares down. I don't see it going until they get a stable funding source from Government, develop income from business park and aviation services and pax numbers pass 1m.
Parking is cheaper at Dublin....
Depends where you park. I do agree parking fees could be lower, they did have very good weekend deals back in 2007, €27 parking on top of the dev fee does sting a bit for a weekend away. Again they have said it's core revenue source so same problem exists.
I'll still always choose convenience, ease and time saving of direct local air service and it's almost always cheaper in my experience all in.