Ryanair has called for the break-up of the DAA airport monopoly in Ireland as it publishes its 2011 traffic report for the three properties – Shannon, Dublin and Cork. Figures from Ryanair reveal a fourth consecutive year of traffic declines, down from 22.6 million passengers in 2010 to 22.1 million last year.

Ryanair hailed the improved internet security provided by a new feature on the Ryanair.com website, which the low cost carrier claims has prevented Spanish screenscraper websites from displaying Ryanair’s prices and seats on their websites.

Ryanair has written again to Aer Lingus calling on them to accede to Ryanair’s request to an EGM so that shareholders can discuss and express their opinion upon the continuing “cover up” of the Deloitte & McCann Fitzgerald Report, as well as address the issue of further contributions to Aer Lingus’ defined contribution pension schemes, without shareholder approval.

Ryanair welcomed the decision in the Barcelona Appeal Court, which ruled that Ryanair’s boarding card reissue penalty is lawful and complies with Spanish and EU law.  This final ruling overturns a lower Court finding that the boarding card reissue penalty did not comply with Spanish law.

Ryanair is planning to introduce the ‘Ryanair Cash Passport’, a MasterCard prepaid card which it claims will enable passengers to avoid its £6 booking fee.

Ryanair today released passenger and load factor stats for August 2011 as follows: