New Dublin Terminal

Ryanair Holdings PLC 01 November 2002 RYANAIR UNVEIL PLANS FOR A SECOND INDEPENDENT TERMINAL (T2) AT DUBLIN AIRPORT At a press conference today at Dublin Airport, Ryanair unveiled its plans for an independent second competing terminal at Dublin Airport. The proposed facility, to be known as T2 will cost €114m to develop and can handle up to 10 million passengers per annum, almost doubling the capacity of Dublin Airport, without any cost to the taxpayer. Ryanair's plans also allow for the development of two multi-storey short-term carparks which will end the current policy of forcing airport users to park in remote long-term carparks, and two new international hotels, bringing much needed choice, competition and lower prices for hotel accommodation at Dublin Airport. The new T2 which has been designed by leading architects de Blacam & Meagher, contains the following features; • it will provide 36 new terminal served stands (compared with the current 30 in the three piers at Dublin Airport), • at a cost of €114m, the facility is significantly cheaper than the combined €469m* recently spent by Aer Rianta on extending the existing terminal and constructing the inefficient Pier C, • two multi-storey carparks will provide short-term carparking capacity for up to 10,000 cars (compared to the 2,700 car capacity of Aer Rianta's existing carpark) and will result in short-term carparking rates being reduced from the current €20 to €10 per day, thereby saving consumers over €100m over a five year period, • two international hotels will be developed and will provide both a three star (Jurys Inn) type accommodation, as well as a four star facility, • the terminal itself is designed to substantially reduce passenger walking distances, which are a major drawback of the existing Aer Rianta facilities, • T2 restores architectural order to the current chaos at Dublin Airport, • T2 places the Desmond Fitzgerald designed old central terminal building (CTB) as the focal point of Dublin Airport, Commenting today at the press conference, John Meagher, of de Blacam & Meagher Architects said; 'Just as the original central terminal building was a significant exercise in the 'International Style', so is Terminal 2, utterly modern, in the materials of steel and glass, sympathetically sited adjacent to the original central terminal building, which now finds an appropriate role as the principle link between Terminal 2 and the Aer Rianta terminal building. 'Terminal 2 is designed to be easy and agreeable to use and open to its surroundings. Its simple plan and the structural arrangement of roof shells, give orientation to arriving and departing passengers, and are expressive of the buildings function as a gateway to the skys. 'Terminal 2 by virtue of its position, serves to frame the old central terminal building, renewing the original axial landscape unobstructed, that terminates in its landside concave face.' * As per Aer Rianta accounts Ryanair has submitted a detailed design proposal (including plans and financing) for this building to the Minister for Transport, Mr Seamus Brennan TD. The airline has confirmed that the facility can be made available by 2004, if the Government give the go ahead for tenders to proceed by the end of 2002. Ryanair's submission confirms that whilst it is prepared to build and fund this facility, it has no particular interest in either owning, developing or operating it. This new T2 facility has been reviewed and approved by over ten international airport operators, all of whom have confirmed that they would be willing to build and operate this facility and make it available to all airlines at Dublin Airport as a low cost, quick turnaround terminal building. Ryanair have also confirmed to Minister Brennan that should the Government proceed with this development then Ryanair will commit to doubling the number of aircraft based in Dublin (from 10 to 20), to more than doubling the passenger numbers Ryanair delivers at Dublin Airport (from 4 to 8 million passengers) which would add over 3 million visitors per annum to Irish tourism and the Irish economy. From research prepared by University College Dublin, it is estimated that this investment alone would result in the creation of 16,000 additional jobs both directly at Dublin Airport and indirectly in Ireland's wider tourism industry. Ryanair's proposals for this second terminal have received the support of other existing airport users at Dublin including Aer Lingus, FLS Aerospace (on whose land the facility will be developed), and also Jurys Doyle Hotels plc and the O'Callaghan Group Hotels. Since these plans will result in better facilities, lower prices, cheaper more available carparking and more hotel accommodation, we call on the Irish Government to implement these plans as a matter of urgency. Ryanair has asked the Government to allow the McEvaddy brothers to develop a third competing terminal development on the Hunstown lands at Dublin Airport and also to permit the construction of a fourth terminal in due course. Ryanair believes that only competition can improve services and reduce costs for consumers. The Government should promote and heighten competition by supporting the development of not just a second, but also third and fourth competing terminals at Dublin Airport. Commenting on the Ryanair submissions today, the Chief Executive, Michael O'Leary said: 'Should the Government proceed with the development of competing terminals at Dublin Airport, I believe it would be as significant a revolution in Irish tourism as the set up of Ryanair was in the mid 1980's. The only thing holding back Irish tourism in recent years has been high access costs, and the third world facilities that have been developed by the Aer Rianta monopoly. It is wrong that Irish citizens should be obliged to park their cars at rapacious rates miles away from the terminal building, or that visitors to Ireland should have to endure the long walks, huge security queues, and inordinate delays in waiting for their luggage just for the privilege of entering Ireland through one of the worst terminal buildings in Europe. 'The only way to rectify this disaster (and restore growth to Irish tourism) is for the Government to introduce competition for the provision of terminal facilities and we hope the Minister will move quickly to permit Terminal 2 and the McEvaddy terminal to proceed as a matter of urgency. 'The Terminal 2 facility as designed by Ryanair and de Blacam & Meagher will bring Dublin Airport and Irish tourism into the 21st Century. If approved Ryanair will respond with the largest single investment in Irish tourism by placing up to 20 new 737-800 series aircraft here in Dublin (at a cost of over $1bn), and opening up a wide range of new low fare routes between Ireland and Continental Europe and creating upwards of 16,000 new jobs in the Irish economy. ' Air access to Ireland, and Irish tourism can no longer afford to be held back by the high prices and inadequate facilities of this semi-state monopoly and its few remaining supporters who seek to preserve the status quo even when it is delivering a dreadful service at extortionate prices to citizens of and visitors to this country. 'In the last five years, Ryanair has grown from 4 to 15 million passengers per annum. We have opened up 50 new routes and developed bases in Glasgow, Brussels, Frankfurt and Milan. Ireland has lost out on all this growth because of a failed policy of protecting and featherbedding an inefficient high cost airport monopoly. As recently as last month the Aer Rianta monopoly again turned down Ryanair's offer to place new aircraft in Dublin, open up new low fare routes and deliver 2 million much needed visitors for Irish tourism. Competition works, monopolies don't, and semi-state monopolies such as Aer Rianta are the most destructive of all. 'Ryanair have been approached by over 15 interested parties, all of them keen to join with us in developing and running Terminal 2, and the challenge to the Minister and the Government is to move quickly to award the contract for its construction without delay. Terminal 2 can be operational by 2004, but only if the Government allow the development to proceed by the end of the current year'. Ends. 1st November, 2002 For further information please contact: Michael O'Leary, Ryanair, Tel. 01-8121212 Pauline McAlester, Murray Consultants, Tel. 01-4980300 www.ryanair.com This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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