Aer Lingus chief questions need for two airports
13.11.09
Christoph Mueller, the chief executive at Aer Lingus, said it did not make economic sense to have two airports in the Belfast area. He said Belfast International, which his airline uses and has a longer runway, offered a better service.
Competition between the two Belfast airports has begun to increase, with easyJet deciding to move one of its routes from Belfast International to the City. Ryanair also launched a base from Belfast City last year.
In an interview with the Newsletter, Christoph Mueller said that given Northern Ireland's size ‘it is not the right resource allocation to have two airports. It is economically not very sensible nor meaningful to invest in two half airports rather than one real one. Where there are two airports you always have a tendency to operate a smaller size of aircraft - resources are not properly allocated.’
However, the chief executive of Belfast City Airport has said his remarks were ‘ill informed’. Brian Ambrose said people had in ‘increasing numbers’ chosen to fly from Belfast City. The airport is planning to extend its runway and he said Belfast City did not seek public funding, and that private investment by the airports successive owners had made a ‘significant contribution to the region's economic success’.
Mr Ambrose added: ‘For years Belfast International has competed with Belfast City on domestic routes. Now that we seek to capture 15% of the European market and break their monopoly, Mr Mueller and his friends at Belfast International seek to complain.’
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