Ryanair and Dublin airport have taken to public bickering ahead of the opening of a new terminal for the Irish capital.
Dublin Airport’s Terminal 2 opened today, in time to greet the International Monetary Fund as it arrives for crisis talks with the Irish government.
To honour the occasion the no-frills carrier sent a coffin and wreath inscribed “Irish Tourism RIP”.
In a statement, Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary said: “The opening of the DAA’s €1.2bn T2 white elephant officially marks the death of Irish Tourism.”
The outspoken aviation boss also called for the break-up of Dublin Airport Authority, saying it is unfit for purpose and that its “€1.2bn T2 Taj Mahal” has “destroyed” Irish tourism.
He said: “The DAA’s €1.2bn T2 Taj Mahal perfectly represents ‘modern Ireland’ because it’s an over-specified unnecessary €1.2bn bankrupt property development that the Irish airlines don’t want and Irish tourism can’t afford to pay for.”
O’Leary claimed Dublin’s T2 has been delivered 12 months late and five times over its original budget.
Dublin airport, for its part, has accused Ryanair of telling fibs.
In a statement published on its website, DAA said: “Yet again Ryanair continues to spread untruths in relation to Terminal 2.
“Ryanair has opposed this new facility for its own purposes from the very beginning, it is perhaps not surprising that Ryanair’s hyperbole and inaccuracies become more frenzied by the day.”
According to DAA, Terminal 2 is “a €600 million investment in Ireland’s future and will be used by passengers for decades to come”.
The terminal will start will start operating from November 23, with the first flight to be by Etihad.