THE DUBLIN Airport Authority (DAA) has rejected an application from Ryanair to begin flights to Marrakech under its new route discount scheme.
The decision sparked an angry response from Ryanair, which said it would result in "thousands of extra tourists and tens of extra jobs opportunities" being lost to the State.
The DAA declined to comment on the specific reasons for not agreeing to include the route in its discount scheme. It is understood, however, to relate, in part, to the late payment of some bills by Ryanair, although this was denied by the airline.
This would be in breach of one of the conditions of the route discount scheme, which is offered by DAA for services to non-EU countries not currently served from Dublin airport.
In a statement published yesterday, Ryanair said it had offered to launch the Marrakech route several times over the past two months. This would have been the airport's first scheduled service to Africa.
Ryanair's deputy chief executive Michael Cawley criticised the DAA for its decision. "The DAA has once again proven that it is damaging the Irish tourism industry," he said. "Their refusal to include Ryanair's new route from Dublin to Marrakech in its new route discount scheme has cost the country thousands of winter visitors and new tourism jobs.
"While the DAA is quite prepared to offer this new route scheme to flaky, insolvent airlines, it seems determined to place every impediment in the way of Ryanair's attempts to continue to develop Irish tourism."
A spokesman for the DAA rejected Ryanair's comments. "The DAA regrets it is not in a position to accept Ryanair's application to avail of Dublin airport's new route incentive scheme for a proposed seasonal service to Marrakech. This is because Ryanair has not agreed to comply with the clear and simple conditions attaching to the scheme.
"The DAA would also like to stress that no amount of misinformation or hectoring by Ryanair will circumvent these clear and simple conditions nor cause the DAA to discriminate illegally in favour of Ryanair and to the detriment of other airlines at Dublin airport."
Separately, a Ryanair flight from Milan Bergamo to Rome Ciampino yesterday diverted to Rome Fiumicino as a safety precaution.
The airline said an indicator warning light came on, suggesting that the aircraft's undercarriage was not fully extended.
"The aircraft undercarriage had fully extended and the aircraft landed normally at Fiumicino where passengers were disembarked for a coach transfer to Rome," the airline said.
Ryanair said the fault appeared to relate to a faulty indicator light.
