Dublin airport managing director Vincent Harrison expects interest from both “Irish and international” construction firms in the current tender to build the gateway’s second runway.
Speaking to FlightGlobal during the World Routes conference in Chengdu, Harrison says that the tender process to find a contractor to perform the work is underway and will continue into the early part of 2017. "We hope to get that finished and signed as soon as we can," he says.
Harrison says that Dublin has forecast the new runway will cost approximately €300 million ($336 million) but says that he hopes to “firm up the costings as we go through” the tender process.
Earlier this year, airport operator DAA resurrected plans for a second runway at Dublin airport following a resurgence in traffic. The plan calls for a 3,100m (10,200ft) parallel runway. Harrison says completion of the new runway is targeted for 2017 to 2020.
Earlier this year Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary raised concerns about what he perceived to be the growing cost of the total project and how it would be funded.
Harrison says that airport charges at Dublin are 25% to 30% below the average of airports of its size in Europe. “So we feel that our overall charges are extremely competitive," he says.
He notes that airport charges are capped at Dublin and says that a regulatory process exists to “intermediate on” any increases or disputes.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
