Ryanair has accused a number of airlines of operating a fuel surcharge scam for failing to reduce surcharges now that the price of oil has fallen dramatically.
Speaking at the launch of two new routes from Dublin Airport, chief executive Michael O'Leary said the price of oil had fallen back from about $78 a barrel to around $53. But, he said, a number of airlines, including Aer Lingus, had not reduced their surcharges.
Aer Lingus said today they were closely monitoring the continuous impositions of fuel surchages in the context of lower oil prices.
Asked about facilities at Dublin Airport, Mr O'Leary said he had no plans to move Ryanair's check-in facilities to a new purpose-built area in the basement of the terminal, which will be up and running by the end of the month. In what appeared to be a challenge to the Dublin Airport Authority, he said he would need to see 'incentives' to encourage him to do so.
The Dublin Airport Authority said today it has been in discussions about Area 14 with Ryanair since last summer.
DAA said it should be sufficient incentive for Ryanair to be able to expand its business at specific locations in Dublin Airport and to provide greater comfort and efficiency for its passengers.
Mr O'Leary also described the proposal by Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny to build a second airport in Dublin as insane. He said Dublin's population was not big enough to sustain a second airport.
Ryanair is to launch two new services from Dublin to Poland from May. The airline will fly to Bydgoszcz and Gdansk.
It also increased frequencies on routes from Dublin to Bratislava, Biarritz, Carcassonne, Kaunas, Krakow, Malaga, Murcia, Riga and Rome.
