Ryanair's challenge violates peace deal, says DAA
A PEACE deal struck by Ryanair and the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) in 2006 means that Ryanair's challenge to the airport's second terminal cannot go ahead, lawyers for the DAA told the High Court.
The airport authority's comments came at the opening of Ryanair's long-awaited legal challenge to the €395m terminal yesterday.
In an attempt to have the case dismissed, the DAA outlined details of a deal struck in March 2006, when Ryanair was preparing to launch 18 new Dublin routes.
The new routes effectively ended hostilities between Ryanair and the DAA.
As part of a the new era of co-operation, the DAA claims Ryanair agreed not to bring any further challenges "arising out of, or connected with" the Government's May 2005 decision to allow the DAA advance plans for a second terminal.
The low-cost carrier went on to lodge a High Court action challenging the validity of the second terminal's planning permission in September, a move which the DAA says is in violation of the 2006 agreement.
Ryanair's argument centres around the proposed size and cost of the new terminal as well as its location. The case is expected to last for several more days.
Ryanair has previously warned the DAA that it is unwise to continue building with the case outstanding, but the DAA has confirmed several times that it will continue working on the project until it is legally compelled to do otherwise.
Despite the renewed animosity, Ryanair launched three new Dublin routes.
- Laura Noonan and Tim Healy
