Those who have experienced purchasing a coffee or a sandwich at Dublin Airport would know that fostering intense competition isn’t at the heart of the principles guiding the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA). A notable part of its activity relies on capitalising on the monopoly it holds over the retail area spread across its twin terminals, accommodating a captive audience of 32 million travellers yearly.
Hence, it doesn’t come as a shock that the DAA would desire to extend its supremacy to airport parking by procuring QuickPark, the sole independent parking facility in the immediate vicinity which shuttered amidst the Covid-19 epidemic.
In a similar vein, it isn’t startling that the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) obstructed the sale citing concerns about it potentially detrimental to competition. The DAA previously offered various incentives to sway business away from QuickPark, as per the CCPC which contends that giving the DAA an essentially exclusive control over parking would lessen the pressure to maintain affordable prices and offer commendable service.
This aspect brings little consolation to potential holiday-goers who may experience a reiteration of last summer’s incident when the DAA parking lots reached full capacity. The DAA isn’t the only conceivable purchaser of QuickPark, with about half a dozen other parties reportedly interested. Presumably, none were willing to compete with the DAA on price when QuickPark went on sale for €70 million in 2022.
It could be speculated that another under bidder may seize this opportunity and the car park could resume operations by summer. The main hurdle to this, however, would be if the DAA appeals the CCPC’s verdict at the High Court within a 40 day window from the decision. Although the DAA has a duty to generate profits, it is, at the end of the day, a state entity with broader responsibilities. It should welcome a new operator stepping in if it intends to serve its passengers optimally.