What is the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) saying about charges at Dublin Airport?The authority proposes cutting the maximum that Dublin Airport can charge airlines for each passenger by 15 per cent next year to €8.85.Is this good news?For airlines yes, as it will cut their costs in Dublin. But airport operator, State company DAA, warns that the proposed reduction will hit its ability to invest for the future.What about passengers themselves?Airlines do not pass on the charges directly to passengers, but they are included in their costs, so they can affect fares.So a cut could mean cheaper fares?Yes, but airlines argue that the real benefit is that they are more likely to base aircraft and routes at cheaper airports, increasing choice and competition, which lead to lower fares.Will airlines respond in that way to the IAA’s proposal?Ryanair, already responsible for around 20 million passengers a year at Dublin, says it will add two million more seats there next year, if the authority does cut charges to €8.85.[ Regulators to cut Dublin Airport chargesOpens in new window ]Will it do so?On past form, yes. The airline boosted operations at Dublin when the airport discounted charges to lure traffic back after Covid. In previous years, Ryanair increased traffic at Irish airports when the Government axed travel tax.What if charges go up?Ryanair chief executive, Michael O’Leary, said several times recently that the airline would not add extra aircraft at Dublin if DAA got the increases it was seeking.Why was DAA seeking an increase if a cut means more business?The company wants to spend €5.6 billion on Dublin Airport to prepare it to handle at least 10 million more passengers a year.Will the State’s plan for the Carlton Cinema site revitalise O’Connell Street? Listen | 25:33So why is the regulator proposing to cut charges?The IAA calculates that passengers numbers will increase, so the cost of running the airport will be shared among more people, while DAA will also earn commercial revenues.So that’s it then?No, the authority wants to keep the charge below €9 in 2028 and 2029, then will increase it to between €10 and €11 if DAA begins work on key projects. If no work begins by then, then it will cut the charge to less than €8, if some developments start, but others are delayed, any increase will reflect that.What sort of projects?The IAA highlights new aircraft stands at both terminals, a bigger check in area in terminal two, better roads around the airport and improvements to security and other services.How likely is it that the IAA will do this?Reasonably, this is a draft decision covering the next five years, but previously the authority’s final ruling has not strayed far from the draft. We’ll know for certain then the IAA issues its final ruling by the year’s end.