... Madam, - Still seething from the usual holiday chaos at Dublin Airport courtesy of Aer Rianta, I re-read Frank McDonald's excellent article,("Plan to end terminal decline?", Weekend,December 14th) . It is clear that Aer Rianta's development plans are not designed for the best use of scarce resources or the best interests of the general public.
The Aer Rianta proposals would require demolishing or rebuilding main Piers A and B. If the experience of the long-awaited Pier C is anything to go by, one can imagine the delays and confusion that this would entail for many years to come. In contrast, the Ryanair scheme would cause no problems for airport passengers or operators, simply requiring that two hangars plus some Aer Rianta corporate buildings be relocated elsewhere on the airport perimeter.
As for runways, Ryanair's proposed upgrade/extension of Runway 11/29 is clearly the winning solution financially, operationally and otherwise.
Aer Rianta's replacement runway, at least €70 million more expensive and located 1.6km north of the existing main runway, would be a "runaway" disaster - what passenger wants to spend half the flight time to the UK taxiing around north Co. Dublin? - Yours, etc.,
G. DONNELLY, Church Hill, Wicklow