Ryanair labels Dublin Airport night-time restriction order 'stupid' and 'idiotic'

The airline has called on Transport Minister Eamon Ryan to intervene and reverse the decision to reduce the number of flights between 11pm and 7am to 65 a night

Fingal Council Council has issued an enforcement order telling Dublin Airport to reduce the number of flights between 11pm to 7am to 65 a night within six weeks.

Ryanair has labelled demands by Fingal County Council for Dublin Airport to reduce night-time flights as “stupid" and "idiotic" calling for it to be reversed.

Earlier this week, Fingal Council Council issued an enforcement order telling the airport to reduce the number of flights between 11pm and 7am to 65 a night within six weeks.  It comes after the council ruled the airport was in breach of planning conditions for operating late-night flights.

Dublin Airport operator daa said it was disappointed with the order and warned of the prospect of unnecessary travel disruption. Now budget airline Ryanair has waded into the issue saying the council should not be allowed to dictate national aviation policy or to restrict flights to/from Ireland at "our national airport".

Ryanair has called on Transport Minister Eamon Ryan to intervene and reverse the decision. It is also calling for him to move this night-time flight restriction period from 11pm – 7am to 12am – 6am to avoid disruption to the vast majority of first-wave flights which depart Dublin between 6am and 7am.

Eddie Wilson, chief executive of Ryanair, said moving the night-time restriction period would still reduce night-time noise at Dublin Airport to satisfy the needs of the council.

“This sensible solution balances the needs of Irish air travel and its connectivity to Europe, with the complaints of the tiny number of neighbours of Dublin Airport complaining about the airport’s ever-reducing noise envelope.” 

Mr Wilson said that the council “threatens to severely damage Ireland’s national aviation industry and connectivity to Europe with just six weeks’ notice”.

The enforcement order came after the Planning Authority at the council investigated the alleged breaches after the opening of the airport’s north runway last year prompted a series of noise complaints from nearby residents.

The council has also ordered the daa to pay €350 to cover the cost of its investigation. Daa chief executive Kenny Jacobs said the restriction would mean fewer night-time flights than the number before the new runway was opened.

He called for a noise quota system to replace the flight cap as a way to manage traffic at night. Mr Jacobs said the quota model was the industry standard approach for large airports. Daa urged the council to suspend the “overly onerous conditions” or provide at least six months for compliance.