Aer Rianta International (ARI) enjoyed another very successful year in 2005 with its profit contribution to its Dublin Airport Authority parent company rising to an impressive E.17.4m in 2005, up from the E.9.4m result achieved

in 2004.
ARI enjoyed one of its best years ever in 2005 with strong sales performances in its established markets of the Middle East and the CIS, increased spend per passenger in these and many other locations and improved productivity across the whole business.
Although the DAA did not disclose ARI's sales, they are believed to have come close to hitting $500m for the very first time in 2005, a considerable improvement on the estimated $350m-plus turnover achieved in 2004.
ARI also received another boost as the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) reported its results yesterday. DAA Chairman Gary McGann said it would be a ‘foolish organisation that raids all the cupboards’ when business is good.
He was referring to comments made earlier by some analysts and Ryanair that the DAA should sell some – or – all of its overseas interests to keep passenger charges down at all three airports.
But McGann said airline interests' motivation for such talk were solely related with their desire to see the DAA subsidise airport charges further and had no concern for the business as a whole.
In a straight talking comment that was clearly aimed at Ryanair, he said: ‘We will not dispose of assets that are generating a satisfactory return, and that are likely to enhance their value over time, in order to provide our airport users with an inappropriately subsidised passenger charge.’