T2

It's ironic in the extreme that Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport should be officially opened today, while we're deep in the embrace of the IMF and EU financial overlords. T2 is a sorry reminder of the glory days of the Celtic Tiger, when it seemed as if expansion would never end and the only way was up.

Now, instead of the steadily increasing passenger numbers which were predicted, and which was the main justification for spending 600 million euro on this new terminal building, the reality is that numbers have fallen off sharply. Aer Lingus (itself in no great shape these days) will gradually transfer its flights to the new terminal between now and January, and will be joined by a few trans-Atlantic and Middle East operators early next year. Ryanair and other Europoean operators will remain in the grotsville which is Terminal 1, though it may well turn out that Terminal 1 will close down due to lack of demand and everyone will end up in the new place.

Whatever about the need for the new terminal, to my mind the greater mistake was the decision to have the Dublin Airport Authority assume responsibility for running it. Their track record is abysmal, as displayed by the inefficient mess which Dublin Airport has become. I do not hold out any great hopes for the smooth operation of the new facility, and sadly predict a rapid deterioration of its shiny new spaces.