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The story
Aer Rianta
Aer Rianta was founded in 1937 as Aer Rianta Teoranta and the name is derived from the Irish language for "air ways" or "air tracks"; Teoranta is the Irish word for Limited. Aer Rianta was to serve as a holding company for the national airline and to promote aviation generally.
In 1947, Aer Rianta started the duty-free shop concept in the Shannon Airport and are credited with the invention of duty-free shops in airports. Aer Rianta was the principal shareholder of Aer Lingus during the airline's early days, until 1966.
Aer Rianta began managing the Dublin Airport in the 1940s. Under the Air Navigation and Transport Act of 1950, Aer Rianta was given legal responsibility for the airport. In 1954, Prof. Patrick Lynch was appointed chairman of Aer Rianta. He retired from the position in 1975.
In 1966, the passage of the Air Companies Act enabled the transfer of Aer Lingus shares to the Minister of Finance, and separate boards were appointed to each company. A general manager of Aer Rianta was appointed in 1968. On 1 April 1969, Cork and Shannon Airports became the responsibility of the company.
In 1988, Aer Rianta International (ARI) was created to pursue international potential to the company's growth not related to Irish airport management – for example, opening Russia's first duty free in Moscow in 1988. In 1998, Aer Rianta Teoranta became Aer Rianta cpt and kept this name until 2004.
Dublin Airport Authority/DAA
In 2004, the Oireachtas passed the State Airports Act, 2004. This changed the company name from Aer Rianta cpt to Dublin Airport Authority plc, and established Shannon Airport Authority plc and Cork Airport Authority plc. The three new authorities had power to formulate business plans for their respective airports, however they would not take charge of running the airports until a further date to be determined by the Minister for Transport, which by law could not be before 1 May 2005. As of 2008 this had yet to take place. Significant outstanding issues to be resolved include competitiveness and debit restructuring.
The company also retains its significant shareholdings in foreign airports such as Düsseldorf and Larnaca, through its wholly owned subsidiary ARI, Aer Rianta International.
The State Airports Act was heavily criticised by Noel Hanlon, the outgoing chairman of Aer Rianta, and by the company's unions, who believed it a precursor to privatisation. No act to privatise Dublin Airport Authority or any of the airports has been passed however.
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The Dublin Airport Authority was officially renamed DAA with effect from November 2014.
In 2016, DAA paid a €18.3m dividend to the State, its first since 2009. In September 2017, Dalton Philips was appointed as its CEO. In May 2018, Basil Geoghegan was named chairman of the company.
In January 2023, Kenny Jacobs was appointed as its CEO.
In 2019, DAA saw record-breaking passenger numbers. The DAA was chosen for the Special Achievement in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) award ahead of 300,000 global candidates, using mapping software from GIS expert ESRI Ireland and working with the company to develop a new system to manage assets at the airport.
In 2020, Covid was “the most serious crisis that has ever faced the international aviation sector and our business,” according to then CEO Dalton Philips. By June 2020, the pandemic had already cost DAA €160m in lost revenue, with passengers decreased by 99%. The DAA implemented a series of public health measures to protect and enhance the health and safety of passengers and staff as a result of COVID-19. In October 2020, Dublin Airport anti-COVID-19 measures received accreditation from global industry body Airports Council International (ACI).
DAA returned to profit in 2023.
Great Southern Hotels
In 1990, the nine Great Southern Hotels were purchased from Córas Iompair Éireann, and sold again in 2006. Edward Holdings, a company controlled by Galway businessman Gerry Barrett bought the Killarney, Eyre Square and Corrib hotels, while Dublin developer Bernard McNamara has bought the Parknasilla hotel in County Kerry. A company controlled by Ronan McArdle, Frank McArdle, Alan McIntosh and the Walsh brothers has acquired the three airport hotels at Dublin, Cork and Shannon.
From Wikipedia’s article on DAA (company), shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.5