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Aer Rianta Profits Steady as Passenger Numbers Increase

It revealed the increase as it announced profits of €30million for 2002 — almost unchanged compared with a year earlier. Passenger numbers going through the airports increased by 4.3 per cent to 19million in 2002.

But sales were four per cent lower at €421million due to a decrease in fuel sales at Shannon Airport. The Co Clare hub was the only Aer Rianta facility to experience a fall in traffic as passenger numbers dipped two per cent to 2.3million. Dublin and Cork both experienced growth in traveller numbers of five per cent. Dublin’s passenger numbers rose to 15million while 1.9million used Cork.

But the organisation’s Great Southern Hotels had a tough year as a result of the general tourism slump. Operating profit before exceptional items, interest and taxation fell by 45 per cent in 2002 to €1.8million. The group closed the three star Torc Hotel in Killarney. It said it anticipated another difficult year for the subsidiary. Aer Rianta’s international division — which is involved in duty-free retailing and airport ownership in 14 countries — showed a profit after tax of €13.2million. The semi-state organisation — which believes it is under threat from a proposal to build a competing terminal in the capital — said it was anxious uncertainty over the future did not delay the provision of vital airport infrastructure. Chairman Noel Hanlon said he believed Aer Rianta staff faced a threat to their job security if a new terminal was built and operated by another company. He said he considered it best if the all the terminals were run by the same organisation. Union ICTU’s general secretary David Begg has expressed strong concern about the amount of consultation permitted to staff over the issue.

He said: “There is an urgent need to move forward with a new extension so that the chaos that reigned at Dublin Airport in the late 90s does not recur.”

IRISH airports operator Aer Rianta has seen passenger numbers continue to increase despite the worldwide downturn in the travel industry.

It revealed the increase as it announced profits of €30million for 2002 — almost unchanged compared with a year earlier. Passenger numbers going through the airports increased by 4.3 per cent to 19million in 2002.

But sales were four per cent lower at €421million due to a decrease in fuel sales at Shannon Airport. The Co Clare hub was the only Aer Rianta facility to experience a fall in traffic as passenger numbers dipped two per cent to 2.3million. Dublin and Cork both experienced growth in traveller numbers of five per cent. Dublin’s passenger numbers rose to 15million while 1.9million used Cork.

But the organisation’s Great Southern Hotels had a tough year as a result of the general tourism slump. Operating profit before exceptional items, interest and taxation fell by 45 per cent in 2002 to €1.8million. The group closed the three star Torc Hotel in Killarney. It said it anticipated another difficult year for the subsidiary. Aer Rianta’s international division — which is involved in duty-free retailing and airport ownership in 14 countries — showed a profit after tax of €13.2million. The semi-state organisation — which believes it is under threat from a proposal to build a competing terminal in the capital — said it was anxious uncertainty over the future did not delay the provision of vital airport infrastructure. Chairman Noel Hanlon said he believed Aer Rianta staff faced a threat to their job security if a new terminal was built and operated by another company. He said he considered it best if the all the terminals were run by the same organisation. Union ICTU’s general secretary David Begg has expressed strong concern about the amount of consultation permitted to staff over the issue.

He said: “There is an urgent need to move forward with a new extension so that the chaos that reigned at Dublin Airport in the late 90s does not recur.”