Ryanair axes 17 routes out of Dublin Airport for winter 2023 and moves entire eco-friendly fleet to alternative EU airports – airline calls the move “regrettable”
In a dramatic move, Ryanair has cancelled 17 routes from its Winter 23/24 schedule at Dublin Airport.
The move follows claims from the low-cost operator that the DAA are ‘raising passenger charges and allegedly failing to deliver a meaningful environmental incentive scheme that rewards lower emission aircraft’.
In a statement Ryanair confirmed it has now moved its entire Dublin-based enviro-friendly fleet of 19 aircraft to alternative EU airports that ‘incentivise airlines to grow passenger numbers with quieter, lower CO2 emission aircraft’.
Back in September 2022, Dublin Airport announced its intention to build a tunnel beneath a secondary runway to enable operations vehicles to safely cross.
The tunnel was initially set to cost approximately €200m and was part of the DAA’s €2bn capital investment programme which is designed to boost overall capacity, safety and efficiency at the country’s busiest gateway. The now estimated €250m tunnel has been approved by Fingal County Council.
The plan has been widely criticised by Ryanair.
Speaking in Dublin, Ryanair’s Eddie Wilson said:
“It is regrettable that Ryanair is announcing 17 route cuts and the removal of 19 “Gamechanger” enviro-friendly aircraft this Winter at Dublin because there are no incentives at Dublin to grow traffic or reward investment in aircraft with lower C02 and noise emissions.
“Unlike most other EU airports, DAA is unfortunately focused on increasing passenger charges by 45% and wasting €250m on a tunnel the same size as the Dublin Port tunnel that is not needed. DAA needs to build low-cost infrastructure to support passenger growth and connectivity but has failed to implement a growth incentive scheme or, indeed lower charges that reward those airlines who invest in lower emission aircraft.”
FULL LIST OF AXED ROUTES
The routes Ryanair have pulled out of Dublin Airport are as follows:
Carcassonne France
Nuremberg Germany
Billund. Denmark
Bournemouth UK
Castellón Spain
Klagenfurt Austria
Košice Slovakia
Leipzig Germany
Asturias Spain
Plovdiv Bulgaria
Palanga Lithuania
Palermo Italy
Sibiu Romania
Santiago Spain
Suceava Romania
Szczecin Poland
Genova Italy
