Flying from Shannon Airport could get a whole lot dearer.
The Dublin Airport Authority is reportedly considering charging passengers directly for using the Mid West Airport in a bid to raise funds for the County Clare facility.
However the controversial move could be met with stiff opposition if it means an extra cost on passengers which may discourage them from flying out of Shannon
National newspaper reports today say the DAA’s proposal would mean travellers would no longer pay a passenger charge to airlines as part of their ticket price.
Instead, departing passengers would pay the airport manager directly, either in the terminal building at Shannon before they board their plane or online.
Its unclear how much the levy would cost but the existing fee is 15 Euro per return flight.
The authority hasn’t commented on the issue but its understood its one of a number of proposals being considered to generate revenue at Shannon, which has seen passenger traffic plummet by about 900,000 over the past three years.
The move would make airline tickets cheaper and could appease Ryanair which has pulled flights from the mid west airport but passengers would still be forced to pay the new fee which is separate from the travel tax
It could be in place by the summer but may be met with stiff opposition here if it results in an extra cost for the travelling public from Shannon.