Dublin Airport 'sufficient to 2008'

The existing facilities at Dublin Airport have the capacity to handle up to 22 million passengers a year and should be sufficient to meet traffic numbers until 2008, according to an independent assessment of the airport's capacity carried out for the Commission for Aviation Regulation.

Dublin Airport currently handles just under 17 million passengers a year, with traffic expected to grow to over 21 million by 2008.

The report is the first step in a process being undertaken by the regulator to determine whether or not the way in which landing rights at the airport are managed should be overhauled.

Aer Rianta asked the regulator to decide whether the airport's status should be changed from a "coordinated" to "fully coordinated" airport.

This would involve the granting of additional powers to the independent coordinator who currently seeks agreement between airlines on a voluntary basis. Under this mechanism airlines can refuse to change times if requested by the coordinator.

If the airport became fully coordinated, the airlines will lose the right to refuse to change flight times and will face legal action if they do not cooperate with the coordinator.

The independent study, by Alan Stratford & Associates, concluded that the airport is not sufficiently congested to warrant a change in its status.

Aer Rianta had sought the change in status on the basis that it would facilitate the management of the airport. "In general the current system of (voluntary) coordination appears to be operable and we recommend that it continues in place for the next three years."

"The conclusion is based on our assessment that there is sufficient terminal and aeronautical capacity, provided that this is managed appropriately. This is also the view of the majority of airlines, although we accept that Aer Rianta takes a different standpoint," according to the report.

However, the consultants said that the issues should be reviewed annually and changes may be needed if the number of transatlantic flights increases.

They also warn that the decision would have to be reviewed if the level of cooperation currently exhibited by airlines to the coordinator deteriorates.

Mr Prasifka said that authority would now engage in a consultation process before reaching a final decision on whether to alter the status of the airport.