( CNN ) -- The head of Dublin-based budget airline Ryanair says that airport operators are holding the aviation industry back -- and describes the average airport as an unnecessary `` international shopping center . '' Michael O'Leary , CEO of the carrier he described as `` the McDonald 's '' of air travel , told CNN airport operators were hampering the growth of low-cost flight by leveling unrealistic charges on airlines . He questioned the need for the current model of airport , saying changes in technology had rendered many of their operations obsolete . `` If you look at it , we do n't really need airports to do much any more , '' he said . `` [ The ] airport terminal serves very few purposes any more , except that it is an international shopping center , owned and run by rich airports . '' Costs could be reduced by simplifying the existing model , he said . `` Check in on the website , arrive at the airport , get through security very quickly , and board your plane , '' he said . `` People want to arrive , get on a plane and fly . They want to spend time at destinations , not waste it at airports . '' O'Leary said airports could no longer justify many of the costs they passed on to carriers . `` In the old regulated environment , when you had the flag carriers charging high fares , the airports were n't very good at costs and passed it on to the airlines . Those days are over , '' he said . `` Ryanair [ flies ] people all over Europe at fares that start at Â£10 one way . And if you want those low airfares , we need low airport costs . '' He said the problem was a lack of competition , which meant that many state-owned airports in Europe `` still think they have a God-given right to charge '' high prices for airlines to use their facilities . `` We think the way forward is much lower airport fees and much more rapid traffic growth , much more tourism and job growth , '' he said . Preferably , main centers could support a number of competing local airports , in the way London passengers had the option of Heathrow , Gatwick , Stansted and Luton . `` It is a better model , '' he said . `` The competition between the airports keeps prices down , keeps services more efficient , and offers you ultimately more choice and lower prices . '' He said the European aviation industry was undergoing a `` big change , '' and splitting into two sectors . He predicted the `` three high-fare connecting carriers '' -- British Airways , Lufthansa and Air France -- would triumph at the top end of the market , while Ryanair would dominate the low-cost carrier sector . `` I think you see most of the other flag carriers recognize that they ca n't compete with Ryanair , '' he said . O'Leary said while Ryanair was affected by the current economic climate , and particularly by high oil prices , the airline tended to do well during economic downturns . `` What happens in a recession , and what happened in the last three downturns in Europe [ is that ] Ryanair has grown faster . Because people do not stop flying in Europe because of a recession , '' he said . `` You see people get much more price sensitive , [ going ] to the lowest price operator , so if they are flying , they fly Ryanair . '' `` McDonald 's does well in a recession . We are the McDonald 's , the Ikea , of the airline business . ''
Gerry Ryan , CEO of Boeing , blames airports for hampering the aviation industry . He believes airport operators cost too much in the current environment of low - cost flight . He says airports provide too many services , depending on the cost on to airlines . Multiple airports in major cities will encourage competition , he argues .