Michael O’Leary writes to Eamon Ryan to thank him

In a surprising development, Mr O’Leary wrote to the minister on May 13 to acknowledge his help with securing extra slots at Dublin Airport for Ryanair. The letter has been released to the Irish Independent under the Freedom of Information Act.

Mr O’Leary had first written to the Green Party leader on May 10, informing him that Ryanair had just been told by the DAA it could not have extra slots in order to fly in fans for the Europa League Final that was being staged in the Aviva Stadium on May 22. The final was between Atalanta, based in Milan, and Bayer Leverkusen, from Cologne.

Ryanair wanted six more slots for Milan Bergamo and six more for Cologne in order to meet demand from football fans for flights to Dublin.

“Given your previous assurances that additional flights for sporting events would not be affected by Dublin Airport’s 32m traffic cap, we were surprised and disappointed at midday today to be told that the DAA are refusing to approves these 12 additional midweek slots on the week of May 22 next,” Mr O’Leary complained to the transport minister.

The Ryanair boss told the minister he had the power to issue directions to the DAA, “and we call on you now to issue an urgent direction to the DAA to approve all slots for extra flights travelling to/from Dublin” for the final.

Mr O’Leary claimed this was the first sporting event where flights to and from Ireland were being affected by the passenger cap at Dublin Airport, which is set at 32 million under the terms of its planning permission. The DAA applied to Fingal County Council last year for permission to raise the cap at Dublin Airport to 40 million passengers. A decision is awaited.

Ireland’s reputation for welcoming conferences, sporting and cultural events were now being damaged by the “absurd” cap, Mr O’Leary said in his letter of May 10, and demanded that Mr Ryan confirm he would later that day urgently instruct the DAA to approve the extra flight slots.

“We cannot put these flights on sale until you act,” the Ryanair boss said.

It appears the Green Party leader did act immediately, because he wrote back to Mr O’Leary later that day. He first “welcomed” the news that Ryanair was supplementing the existing scheduled services from Milan and Cologne to facilitate fans flying to Dublin.

“I understand from DAA that the 12 additional slots requested by Ryanair to facilitate these additional services have now been allocated,” Mr Ryan said.

In a handwritten note overwritten on that letter, and which appears to have been faxed to the minister’s office three days later, Mr O’Leary takes the unusual step for him of expressing gratitude to a transport minister for his assistance.

“Dear Eamon, thanks for your help with these seats,” the Ryanair boss wrote. “It’s important for Ireland that we can keep adding extra flights for sports events and bank holidays.”

He added: “If you move quickly to scrap this traffic cap, then this self-inflicted problem will go away. Please do it now. Thanks. Michael.”

Mr O’Leary is due to appear before the Oireachtas joint committee on transport and communications today to discuss the impact of the passenger cap on Ryanair’s operations.