Tuesday 15 January 2008

Terminal extension is cleared for take-off

FED-UP passengers stuck in long slow-moving queues at Dublin Airport are promised more check-in desks after a major expansion of the existing outdated terminal was cleared for take-off.

An Bord Pleanala yesterday gave the green light for a 7,500sq m extension to the terminal in the face of objections from Ryanair and a local resident's association.

The plan involves a 20pc increase in the number of check-in desks in a bid to tackle the growing bottleneck in the departures lounge.

The planning authority also put a limit of 32 million passengers a year using the expanded Terminal 1 and the approved second terminal.

The extension to Terminal 1 was granted planning permission by Fingal County Council last April, but appealed by Ryanair and the Portmarnock Community Association.

In its ruling yesterday, An Bord Pleanala said it took into account the National Development Plan, the National Spatial Strategy and the Government's Transport 21 blueprint, all three of which prioritise public transport and the roads which serve Dublin Airport.

Irish Independent

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