THE state-owned company Aer Rianta International (ARI), that was founded in Shannon in the 1980s, is in negotiations regarding the sale of its one-third stake in Russian duty-free operator, Aerofirst.
The company, which operates duty-paid and duty-free shops in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, controversially came under the control of the Dublin Airport Authority following the separation of Shannon Airport.
Its shares in Aerofirst are reportedly worth €15 million.
ARI’s first director general Liam Skelly, who helped build the company in the 1980s, has been a vocal opponent of the move to keep ARI under the control of the DAA rather than Shannon Airport.
He told Limerick Post: “I saw that they were hoping to get €15 million for the stake. I also heard that they sold off Leningrad and some of the other parts. They (the DAA) are doing what they want to do. Maybe they have debts from building Terminal 2 and that’s what they’re going to use the money for.
“ARI should never have been under the control of the DAA. It’s totally unfair. I don’t think most people realised the importance of ARI to Shannon, otherwise they would have been protesting in the streets.”
ARI is a hugely profitable company and also operates retail branches in the Middle East, Asia, North America and Southern Europe.
