Dublin Airport Authority plc (known until 1st October 2004 as Aer Rianta cpt1) is the state owned airport authority in the Republic of Ireland. The authority runs the following airports:
In 2004 the Oireachtas passed the State Airports Act, 2004. This renamed Aer Rianta as Dublin Airport Authority plc and established Shannon Airport Authority plc and Cork Airport Authority plc. The three new authorities have power to formulate business plans for their respective airports, however they will not take charge of running the airports until further date to be determined by the Minister for Transport, which by law will not be before 1st May 2005.
The State Airports Act was heavily criticised by Noel Hanlon, the outgoing chairman of Aer Rianta, and by the company's unions, who believed it a precursor to privatisation. No act to privatise Dublin Airport Authority or any of the airports has been passed however.
AerRianta workers in Cork earlier endorsed the decision of Shannon and Dublin colleagues to begin limited industrial action.
"This is the first of a programme of limited industrial action focused on AerRianta's involvement in the EU Presidency and with a view to minimising the impact on the travelling public," he said.
A spokesman for AerRianta said the company would be asking staff not to cause disruption to any passengers and to encourage their trade union representatives to examine how difficulties might be resolved.
AerRianta was created in 1937 as AerRianta, Teoranta and the name is derived from the Irish language for "air ways".
AerRianta oversaw Aer Lingus during the airlines early days, as its principal shareholder, until 1966.
AerRianta had control of Dublin Airport from its start but it was not until 1969 that Cork and Shannon airports became the responsibility of the company.
Feeds |
Contact