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FactCheck: Are Michael O'Leary and Ryanair right about Dublin Airport charges increasing?

The airline says the airport’s fees are rising. The airport disagrees. FactCheck steps in.

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Correction: 11.11pm

AT THE LAUNCH of its winter schedule recently, Ryanair linked its predicted fall in passenger numbers in Ireland this year with the Dublin Airport Authority’s ‘rising costs’.

And CEO Micheal O’Leary claimed the DAA were “refusing to extend” a scheme that rewards airlines for growing by giving them a rebate on charges.

A spokesperson for the DAA, meanwhile, told RTE News there had been no increase in their charges for 2017, and added “Our charges are flat”.

So who’s right here?

(Send your FactCheck requests to factcheck@thejournal.ie, tweet @TJ_FactCheck, or send us a DM).

Claim: The Dublin Airport Authority is increasing its charges

What was said:

In a press release to accompany the launch, Ryanair said it expected to have 14.4 million passengers into and out of Ireland in 2017, which is a drop of 3% from last year, and added:

…Ryanair passes on lower fuel costs, and an even better customer experience, and continues to grow strongly except in its home market where DAA costs are rising, while other EU airports are cutting prices.

And during the press conference, CEO Michael O’Leary elaborated:

…The DAA are refusing to extend their growth schemes. That means that, as the growth scheme ends at the end of every 12 months, the fees into the next year will rise.
The DAA will correctly say ‘We haven’t raised our fees’ – no, but by withdrawing the growth incentive schemes (or not extending them) the payments that we have to make rise, and rise significantly.

In response to FactCheck, a DAA spokesperson reiterated: “There has been no increase in charges in 2017. Our charges our flat”.

The Facts

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary. Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

We asked Ryanair to provide evidence to support their claims. In response, a spokesperson said:

Ryanair offered – in writing – to grow its Dublin passengers by 2 million per annum, on top of the 12 million passengers it will deliver at Dublin Airport this year, but the DAA rejected this offer as “not sufficient”.

Despite our request, we did not receive evidence of that specific correspondence. For its part, the DAA told FactCheck, “That is not the case”.

It should also be noted that this response by Ryanair does not represent evidence that DAA’s charges are increasing.

The airline also provided FactCheck a breakdown of the total amount it had paid DAA in charges over the past five years:

2013/2014: €66.8 million
2014/2015: €77.5 million
2015/2016: €86.8 million
2016/2017: €101.9 million
2017/2018: €115 million

That Ryanair’s annual payments to the DAA have been increasing is not evidence that the DAA’s charges have been increasing.

What an individual airline ends up paying can depend on various factors, most notably if their passenger numbers have been increasing.

Since the DAA’s passenger charges are levied per passenger, an increase in passengers is likely to equate to an increase in charges paid, but the basic charge per passenger does not have to increase in order for this to be the case.

And it’s also possible for an airline to pay more one year than the previous year, despite the absence of an increase in the DAA’s charges. For example, Ryanair will pay more in 2017/2018 than in 2016/2017, despite an expected decline in passenger numbers.

How the DAA’s airline charges work

First, the Commission for Aviation Regulation imposes a “price cap” on the DAA – a maximum amount per passenger that the airport is allowed to charge airlines each year.

In 2015 it was €10.26, in 2016 it was €10.31, and in 2017 it has fallen to €9.86, according to the Regulator.

Then, the airport puts together a menu of different charges for airlines, relating to runway usage, aircraft parking, as well as passenger fees, and so on.

The Aviation Regulator provided us with those charges for 2016 and 2017. You can compare and contrast for yourself:

For a full-size version of this image, click here For a full-size version of this image, click here

As you can see, almost all 18 charges are exactly the same this year as they were in 2016.

One fee, the PRM charge for “persons with reduced mobility” has increased from 35 cents per passenger to 44 cents per passenger.

A DAA spokesperson told FactCheck:

DAA passes on the costs of the third party company which provides the PRM service to airlines. It makes no revenue from the charge.

And where in 2016 the DAA charged separate rates per passenger for departures from Terminals 1 and 2, from 27 March onwards this year, those rates are consolidated.

This will ultimately equate to a reduction in the passenger charge for departures from Terminal 2.

Growth Incentive Scheme

Aeroplanes at Dublin Airport Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie / RollingNews.ie

Dublin Airport offers airlines a rebate on those charges, in the event that overall passenger numbers into and out of Dublin Airport increase over the course of the year.

So, if overall traffic in 2017 ends up being greater than it was in 2016, and an individual airline’s traffic also grows, that airline qualifies for a rebate on charges, calculated based on the percentage of the overall growth that it contributed to.

That rebate is then paid retrospectively, later on.

The details of the 2017-2019 Growth Incentive Scheme are available here. The details of the previous scheme are available here.

Despite Michael O’Leary’s claim that “the DAA are refusing to extend their growth schemes”, there has been no change to DAA’s growth incentive scheme between this year and last year.

Conclusion

Ryanair claimed that the DAA’s charges were rising.

The airline did not provide evidence to support that claim, but rather figures showing their annual payments had been increasing, which is not the same thing.

And evidence provided by the independent Aviation Regulator shows that the airport’s basic charges were, on the whole, flat between this year and last year.

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary later claimed that the DAA were “refusing to extend their growth schemes”.

The airline told FactCheck it had offered in writing to grow its business by two million passengers in two years, but the DAA rejected that offer.

Despite our request, we did not receive evidence of that specific correspondence, and the DAA said “That’s not the case”.

Furthermore, there has been no change to the terms of the DAA’s new Growth Incentive Scheme (2017-2019) compared to the scheme that was in place last year.

We rate Ryanair and Michael O’Leary’s claims FALSE. As described in our Verdicts Guide, this means: “The claim is inaccurate”.

This is the first time we’ve fact-checked claims by Ryanair and Michael O’Leary. In future, you’ll be able to find their FactCheck Files here and here, respectively.

Correction: This article previously stated that “Since the DAA’s passenger charges are levied per passenger, an increase in passengers will inevitably equate to an increase in charges paid”.

An increase in charges paid is not, in fact, an inevitable consequence of an increase in passengers, but rather a likely one. The article has been amended to reflect this.

TheJournal.ie’s FactCheck is a signatory to the International Fact-Checking Network’s Code of Principles. You can read it here.

For information on how FactCheck works, what the verdicts mean, and how you can take part, check out our Reader’s Guide here.

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It is vital that we surface facts from noise. Articles like this one brings you clarity, transparency and balance so you can make well-informed decisions. We set up FactCheck in 2016 to proactively expose false or misleading information, but to continue to deliver on this mission we need your support. Over 5,000 readers like you support us. If you can, please consider setting up a monthly payment or making a once-off donation to keep news free to everyone.

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33 Comments
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    Mute Karen NíDhochartaigh
    Favourite Karen NíDhochartaigh
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    Jun 21st 2013, 7:41 AM

    Am I the only one that thinks this was over dramatised. The students could still answer the question. So what that there was 3 possible correct answers… It just means that you still had to know what you were doing(and isn’t that what the exam is for)to get a right answer.
    In my opinion they make the maths papers easier every year and still complain about how many fail. I never got bonus points for siting the honors paper and without a caculator to boot. We need to overhall our methods of teaching then we can worry about the exams.

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    Mute Elisabeth Butler
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:54 AM

    You cannot overhaul methods of teaching with the current exam in place, I dare say if the exam were different so would the teaching.

    16
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    Mute Elisabeth Butler
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:52 AM

    Wow, he’s really on the ball! That only took him, what….10 days?

    47
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    Mute Jim Lenihan
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    Jun 21st 2013, 1:32 PM

    this happens year after year start at the top wipe the lot out including mr quin. put in a team that have passed their leaving cert who can check their qus… befour they send out

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    Mute bacoxy
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    Jun 21st 2013, 7:52 AM

    Here’s a maths problem… John works in an overspending overemployed and over unionised public service sector job that oversees the production of state exam papers. There were a number of errors in the final papers handed to students and the minister in charge wants to investigate what went wrong and how it could happen. Questions: A) How many public service sector workers will it take to investigate what happened? B) How many will actually be used? C)How much extra money will it cost to discover the causes and produce a report for the minister?

    45
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    Mute David O Brien
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:11 AM

    Let’s scape goat some poor official trying his/her best.
    The minister is responsible – why ? See below

    Paper One / Higher Level (EV) English
    Paper One / Higher Level (IV) Irish
    Paper One: Project Maths / Higher (EV)
    Paper One: Project Maths / Higher (IV)
    Paper One / Foundation Level (EV)
    Paper One / Foundation Level (IV)
    Paper One: Project Maths/F’dation (EV)
    Paper One: Project Maths /F’dation (IV)
    Paper One / Ordinary Level (EV)
    Paper One / Ordinary Level (IV)
    Paper One: Project Maths / Ordinary
    Paper One: Project Maths / Ordinary(IV)
    Paper Two: Project Maths / Higher (EV)
    Paper Two: Project Maths / Higher (IV)
    Paper Two / Foundation Level (EV)
    Paper Two / Foundation Level (IV)
    Paper Two: Project Maths /F’dation(EV)
    Paper Two: Project Maths / F’dation(IV)
    Paper Two / Ordinary Level (EV)
    Paper Two / Ordinary Level (IV)
    Paper Two: Project Maths/Ordinary(EV)
    Paper Two: Project Maths / Ordinary(IV)
    CONFUSED YET?

    Now add massive cuts in funding in education.
    Add political ideology to the mix and business lead education agenda.

    44
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    Mute WanderArch
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:37 AM

    I’ve no idea what your point is?

    42
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    Mute Carcu Sidub
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:40 AM

    Wander

    Neither does the Minister, the Department or the State Examinations Commission. Thats why the whole thing is a mess.

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    Mute Warren Collier
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:48 AM

    How long did it take to type that?

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    Mute Colin C
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    Jun 21st 2013, 2:28 PM

    And how long would it take two men with two shovels to type that twice?

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    Mute Clifford Brennan
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    Jun 21st 2013, 7:58 AM

    Investigation will cost 10million, take 3 years and not have any discernible outcome.

    43
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    Mute Michael G O'Reilly
    Favourite Michael G O'Reilly
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:35 AM

    Don’t see what the fuss is about ! If there were possibly three right answers then all three should be marked as correct ! Also isnt how a student approached a problem more important than a correct answer. M xx

    17
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    Mute rodrigo detriano
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    Jun 21st 2013, 7:37 AM

    I’d imagine that whoever set the question will be fired.

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    Mute John Campbell
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    Jun 21st 2013, 7:41 AM

    Not if they can give a correct reason three times!!

    56
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    Mute Begrudgy
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    Jun 21st 2013, 7:45 AM

    Won’t be fired if they are in the Union. Probably will be moved and retrained in setting English exam questions. First though they need at least 6 months off on sick leave due to stress.

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    Mute simonjblake
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    Jun 21st 2013, 7:56 AM

    You must be joking Roderigo. They are civil servants. Incompetence is a pre requisite.

    20
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    Mute Peter Gavin
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:00 AM

    You can’t fire a public servant no matter how bad they are at their job. They will probably get a promotion as a way to move them from the role of setting exam papers without upsetting the union

    22
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    Mute rodrigo detriano
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:08 AM

    Simon. Yes I actually was joking. Maybe a pay cut would be more appropriate!

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    Mute WanderArch
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:32 AM

    “You can’t fire a public servant no matter how bad they are at their job”.
    Yes you can. Ask any doctor or nurse.
    Make other public servants legally responsible for their actions. You’d solve a lotta problems very quickly.

    22
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    Mute Peter Daly
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    Jun 21st 2013, 8:52 AM

    Like Quinn himself …. a mistake.
    Like Gilmore …..another mistake.
    Like Howlin…..yet another mistake !
    Sack them too .
    Shatter ……big mistake.
    Hogan……..big mistake.
    Reilly ………big mistake.
    Yet nobody taking responsibility for any of those mistakes !

    21
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    Mute eric nelligan
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:32 AM

    Rodigo, the exam was not set wrong, the mistake was made in the production/typing of the paper. As I’m sure you are aware the mistake was on the English version but the Irish version was correct.

    17
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    Mute Carcu Sidub
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:43 AM

    Peter

    Imagine how much better Ireland would be if condoms had been available when those mistakes were being made!

    11
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    Mute Cian Byrne
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    Jun 21st 2013, 1:35 PM

    How ironic that I managed to do better in applied maths than maths! thats project maths for ya!

    5
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    Mute beansy
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    Jun 21st 2013, 9:15 AM

    Poor public servants + terrible minister = examination cock ups.

    Now that’s math!!

    4
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    Mute Gary.
    Favourite Gary.
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    Jun 21st 2013, 2:28 PM

    Poor private sector = massive recession. That beats a simple typo on an exam paper any day. :)

    4
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    Mute Eamonn O' Neill
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    Jun 22nd 2013, 12:28 PM

    Questions were asked that aren’t on the new course!? There is so much confusion over what students actually need to know walking into their project maths exam. There’s all this stuff about different ‘phases’ of new course and the different textbooks and extra material not in the books make it impossible to follow. It seems the people writing the papers don’t really know what’s on the course either.

    1
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    Mute Harry Price
    Favourite Harry Price
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    Jun 21st 2013, 12:01 PM

    3 billion cant add yet gets the big job . Leaving cert mistake or down right count care less or are they looking for the big job

    1
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