O'Rourke close to sanctioning new terminal for DUB!

[akerosid]

This will no doubt bring a few smiles - except to Aer Rianta, which will get the right boot up the behind it's been needing for some time.

Mrs. O'Rourke has said on RTE News (report below) that she is close to sanctioning a new terminal for Dublin airport, presumably by tender/competition. She is now said (and not before time) to be convinced of the need for a new terminal and few things could be better for aviation in Ireland than the competition this would provide.

Over time, with the parallel runway being developed, the airport will probably develop something like ATL in terms of design and no doubt, the new terminal will have public transport facilities built in from the outset. Let the games begin . . .


-----------------------------------

The Minister for Public Enterprise has confirmed that she is considering
allowing the construction of a second terminal at Dublin Airport. Mary
O'Rourke told RTÉ News this afternoon that she had never ruled it out as
part of the development of the airport but that she is closer now than ever
before to giving the project the go-ahead.

The Minister stressed that should she decide in favour of the second
terminal there would be an open competition where interested parties would
tender for the right to build and run the new terminal.

A number of private sector groups including Ryanair and businessmen Ulick
and Des McEvaddy have already expressed an interest in building a new
terminal at Dublin airport.

Mrs O'Rourke denied that the news would be a further blow for the airport
managers Aer Rianta, who last week received a copy of a
government-commissioned report, which recommended the company cut its £1
billion investment plan by up to 75%.

She said that the availability of a second terminal would be a sign of
significant progress in the development of what has become a major
international airport.

[The Guvnor]

Don't get too excited just yet, akerosid - with the planning process, and the public consultations, and the brown envelopes, Aer Rianta doing their best to be difficult and the 'open competition' and the rest of it you're looking at completion around 2020 or so... just in time for Terminal 3!

By that time, LHR may possibly have T5 in operation ... and will be in need of T6/T7!!

[ 03 September 2001: Message edited by: The Guvnor ]

[The Guvnor]

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 IE£272 million ($312 million) for capital expenditure from landing charges between 2001 and 2006, not the IE£998 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 IE£4.65 to IE£5.29 per passenger at Cork and Shannon Airports but fall from IE£4.65 to IE£4.41 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.

[sgt.culpepper]

Re Second Terminal suggestion for DUB.Interested in how the private terminal idea works at other airports? .Are there many airports worldwide where private terminals operate side by side in competition with each other.I seem to recall there was such an arrangement at Toronto but I don't think it worked out.

[akerosid]

The proposal was actually frowned on in a recent report (co-authored by SH&E, the well known aviaiton consultants). However, the current airport site is the only game in town, Baldonnell (the military airfield) being pretty much dead as an option.

There will be complications and as the Guv'nor rightly said, Aer Rianta can be expected to make life difficult. However, that said, they can only pose delays and obstructions.

There is a SORE need for competition in the airports sector and from a national economic point of view, you will end up with two well established operators (I don't give much for the proposed Huntstown project - there will need to be an international heavy-hitter: SATS, BAA, Aeroport de Paris, etc.) competing aggressively to market Dublin.

However, even before this, the very threat of competition will put the skids under Aer Rianta, in that operators will know they can hold the threat of moving to the new terminal over it for a long time before it opens.

[sgt.culpepper]

akerosid ,thanks for that, but my origional question remains.Are there many or any examples worldwide of airports where two competing and seperatly owned terminals operate.

[The Guvnor]

LAX and JFK immediately spring to mind - I'd imagine that there it applies to a number of the major US airports...

[sandcastle]

Dublin Airport is a shambles and is a direct consequence of the ineptitude of Aer Rianta.
The whole surrounding infrastructure is clogged and will get worse.
There is an urgent need to take pressure off DAP and as Baldonnell is not available, why not look at Gormanston Airfield as a regional alternative!
The GOVT wants to sell if off to property developers and concentrate all military related flying in Baldonnell.

Gormanston has many advantages:

1.motorway is less than 1 mile away.
2.the main DUB/Belfast railway is alongside the eastern side of the airfield.
3.Drogheda and its seaport, due for major expansion are 4 miles away.
4.population of the catchment area is about 300,000 and S/East Ulster is also close by.
5.room for 2 runways about 6000m or more is farmers are prepared to sell some land.
6.environmentally it is attractive as the airfield is beside the sea and there is no close residential development - no noise polution.
Of course it would only work if it is kept out of the clutches of Aer Rianta.

[EI - E I - O]

I always thought Gormanstown, was the perfect place to put an Airport. It has the rail, sea and soon also the road network to support, and now there is an abundance of Local labour, ready to tap in on , at the new village called "Bosney"--Formally known as Mosney!!!!null

[sgt.culpepper]

Thanks Governor, I understand that at many US airports ,some airlines have their own terminals but I believe that they only handle their own pax. They do not COMPETE with other airport terminals as far as I can see..
My question relates to a second terminal in direct competition for airline pax business , and which can lower its throughput charges to attract such business.I can't find any such example world wide .I am wondering therefore if it is such a great idea, why there not plenty of examples around.