The Irish Aviation Authority has reported a fall in profits for last year, after what it called a 'particularly difficult' second half.
Profits after tax were €12.2m, down from €14.7m in 2007, though turnover rose by 8% to €166.7m. The IAA is a commercial semi-state body which provides air traffic control services in Ireland. It makes money mainly from charging aircraft which use Irish airspace.
The body said high oil prices and the recession created problems for its airline customers in the second half of last year. It also said the deterioration in financial markets had affected its pension scheme, and it was looking at ways of 'restructuring' the fund.
The number of movements into and out of Irish airports last year rose by less than 1%, while air traffic passing over Irish airspace was also up by less than 1%. But the authority said the first four months of this year are showing a significant decrease in traffic compared with a year earlier. Dublin airport traffic is 12% lower, while overflights are down 7%.
