Terminal two farce

Airlines have reacted furiously to the announcement yesterday by Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey that the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) won't face competition for the operation of the airport's second terminal when it opens next year. 

Instead Minister Dempsey announced plans to select a 'facilities manager' who will look after the terminal's cleaning, maintenance and certain security operations. The decision was taken following the advice from a team of consultants - Goodbody Corporate Finance, Mattheson Ormsby Prentice and Mott MacDonald who advised the Minister against hiring a separate airport operator. 

The Department of Transport press release states "The scope of the tender has been decided taking into account the conclusions reached by the consultants regarding the provision of services in the terminal as efficiently as possible while preserving the integrated operation of the airport", which would appear to be a very long anagram for "The monopoly stays".

As part of the tendering process, the DAA have been asked to provide benchmark costs for certain operations in the new terminal. If prospective operators fail to lodge lower figures than the benchmark, then the DAA will handle the entire operation of the new terminal.

Ryanair's deputy Chief Executive Howard Millar described the entire process as a 'farce'.