Airport denies Ryanair claims on passenger delays

DUBLIN Airport said there is “no truth” to claims by Ryanair that 100 of its passengers missed flights because of “half kilometre” queues at security desks.

The airport hit back at claims from its biggest airline that a lack of staff at security forced the passengers to miss flights.

Ryanair said just eight of the 17 units were open at 5am yesterday morning.

However, a spokeswoman for the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) said all security desks were open at that time and it has no reports of any passengers missing flights.

She also said DAA staff who had been speaking to Ryanair staff earlier that morning also had no reports of passengers missing flights.

Ryanair called on newly appointed DAA chairman, David Dilger, to address the “appalling service levels at Dublin airport”.

Ryanair spokesman, Stephen McNamara, said Ryanair passengers are arriving at the airport with “more than enough time” to make their flights but the “incompetence and unwillingness” of the DAA to allow passengers to efficiently pass through airport security resulted in passengers missing flights.

Meanwhile, EU ambassador to the US John Bruton has warned Aer Lingus flights to the US could be affected by protectionist measures US Congress is trying to force through.

The open skies agreement between the EU and the US, that saw Air Lingus open three new US routes, is in danger, he said. “The House of Representatives has proposed new language on airline ownership and control that would define us out of the market.”