DUB new terminal "DEBT doubts"

[Irish Steve]

We all thought it was bad.

It's worse.

Item in RTE news today here (http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0425/DAA.html)

The debts of the DAA are now so high, the future of the terminal project has yet another cloud hanging over it.

Have Aer Rianta/DAA managed to do anything right over the last 10 years?

If this was a private company, instead of a semi state and therefore protected monopoly, there would have been removals or resignations at high levels over this.

Instead, all we see is fudge, black smoke, and all the other shambles of recent weeks.

When will the politicians recognise that urgent action is needed, words are no longer adequate.

[Sky_Captain]

This might be exactly what we need Steve. With Debts so high, the only obvious decision here is to have the second terminal built by "the competition". Its Win Win all the waaaa.......ait a minute, Bertie's still in charge of the goverment, were screwed. This means problems for everybody. With "plans to roll out a redundancy package at some of the three airports", the likelyhood of delays all round increases :{

[Irish Steve]

Its Win Win all the waaaa.......ait a minute, Bertie's still in charge of the goverment, were screwed

Got it in one:(

The only hope is that Mary Harney give Bertie a handbagging, and makes it VERY clear that things HAVE to change, and HAVE to be done in a way that throws out for ever the old protectionist attitudes that SIPTU and DAA are desperate to maintain.

I've seen it in action first hand, it's incredible just how much they have been allowed to get away with for years. The ONLY solution is a fundamental change of strategy, and ideally management, as the previous model has been clearly shown over the last while to be fatally flawed.

The more I look at it, the more the (dream) idea of a brand new airport somewhere mid country, with modern fast rail links to the large towns, becomes increasingly appealing.

Imagine the benefits to the economy of the midlands, all that money being spent out there, then there would be the relocation of massive numbers of people out of Dublin, which would reduce the commute pressure, as well as the reduction in pressure on the entire infrastructure around the existiing airport. All the NIMBY's would be happy, the noise etc would go away, the Shannon stop issue would be solved overnight, the Cork weather would no longer be a problem, and there would just be an Ireland International Airport.

If a priest could get an airport built in the middle of the bogs of Mayo, then maybe this isn't quite so mad as it sounds........... It's a dream, but it has possibilities. Given the mess that masquerades as an international airport at DUB, I do wonder..........................;)

[akerosid]

The whole thing is absolutely shambolic. I saw (on Aertel) that the Dear Leader had said that one of the beneficiaries of the policy would be the travelling public. Not as far as I can see.

I had the same thought about the whole debt thing, but I also wonder if that makes the prospect of leasing the facility out to a new operator more likely; at least that way they'll get a return on their investment?

The worst aspect of this is that while all the focus has been on ownership and competition (and I won't deny competition is important), there has been virtually no focus on capacity and this must surely be the key issue, because once all the political wheeling and dealing has been done, we're likely to end up with a terminal which will be at capacity not longer after it's been built. That's not SIPTU's fault; as Idunno will no doubt remind me ;) , they have recently expressed doubts over the whole terminal issue. The real problem is that Bertie's focus is on keeping the unions happy; his vision goes no further than political calculation, whereas what we need is vision. The irony is that we could keep the unions and the PDs happy, while also providing the long term capacity we need, by choosing the McEvaddy option. But of course, the government has this "problem" about ownership - Dublin being a part of the state's critical infrastructure, you know. :mad:

If it were such an important part of the state's critical infrastructure, surely that SHOULD mean it's all the more important that it be given the capacity and long term growth potential it needs to continue to be an effective generator of economic growth.

Frankly, the more I think about this, the more strongly I believe that Irish aviation will never go anywhere near achieving its potential as a contributor to economic growth as long as the Taoiseach is in power. :*

[Sky_Captain]

Well said Akerosid. Why do people vote for this schmuck in elections again :confused:

I think we should E-mail McEvaddy and ask him to build his own terminal on his own land anyway and put in a reasonable size runway and then let every airline decide in which airport to land. Guarantee Ryanair would be gone in less than an hour :p

S.C. :ok:

[Irish Steve]

It's not going to happen.

Announcement today that next summer, regulated slots will be introduced, no slot, no fly. In a stroke DAA have solved all their congestion problems, they just limit the number of flights to what they think they can cope with, and f:mad:k the passengers and operators that want to use the place.:(

I can see it now, the highest bidder will get the slots, and if you're not prepared to pay enough for it, tough, you ain't coming to the party.

Instant gratification for DAA, and more revenue from the slot auctions.:yuk:

More revenue from airlines and charter operators desperate to keep services they already operate going, less congestion at pinch points as DAA reduce the number of flights permitted, and even longer operating hours as the low cost charter operators are forced into the dead hours that at the moment don't have flights. Higher prices as the operators have to fight to get the limited slots, and are bid higher and higher by the competitive pressure, and the travelling public get to pick up the tab for the intertia and inaction of DAA yet again.

ARRRGGGGHHHHHHHHHH! There's not an emoticon to express the absolute frustration and anger I'm feeling!!!!!!

It's a good job FR are getting rid of their 200's, the thought of them launching at 0 dark hundred because that's the only slot they'll pay for doesn't bear thinking about. We're 8 miles from the airport, and with the wind in the right direction, we know when a 200 is launching:D

Another VERY bad day for aviation in Ireland!!!

[Tom the Tenor]

The same feelings of hopelessness and frustration have been felt at Cork for decades.

So, how does it feel for all you Dublin Airport supporters? Not so good, eh?

However, those of us who love Cork Airport battle on and never give up and we have not one thing going for us, we have poor wx, short runway, inadequate navaids, lack of ramp space, a near passionless regard for aviation and an nearby airport that laughs in our face at every lost item of traffic due to diversions etc.

The latest is we have no marketing manager after John Smyth's departure from the airport and what about the appointment of a new CEO after the big ads for same in the newspapers?

The question must be asked what is going on in the management of Cork Airport?

Yet, in spite of all this failure Cork Airport is not beaten and is not on her knees. In spite of all the disinterest by many at Cork the airport is still going forward and Cork Airport will triumph. It cannot be any other way so take heart all you who love Dublin Airport, you still have a awful lot going for you and you have much to contribute to your airport and now moreso when the contribution is most needed!

Aerfort Chorcai abu!