Dublin Airport returning to normal

Dublin Airport was slowly coming back to life today after almost a week of crippling cancellations.

Exhausted passengers embraced family and friends in the arrivals area while others began checking in for long-awaited flights abroad.

More than 20 rebooked flights and four cancelled ferry tickets later, bride-to-be Libby Keeling touched down in Dublin with her fiancé, maid of honour and best man in tow.

The 31-year-old, back from a sun holiday ahead of her wedding next Saturday, was relaxed despite the distraction from her impending nuptials.

“Everyone on the plane was just holding their breath praying for the best,” she said.

“We were never worried we wouldn’t get back for the wedding. We were doing all the preparations online and it gave me extra time to top up my tan.”

Despite airspace opening at 5am, Ryanair was not flying passengers to and from Dublin while Aer Lingus waited until 1pm to take to the runway.

The airlines’ focus in the first few hours was flying enough planes with enough seats to European airports as ground crews and air traffic controllers coped with the logistical nightmare of meeting demand.

Upstairs in the departures area queues of passengers checked in while others waited at information desks, anxious to find out when they could fly.

Beatriz Gil Lucas was due to travel from Madrid to Dublin last week for a job interview.

The 32-year-old, who has managed to reschedule the interview, could not believe she had finally made it.

“I didn’t think I would get here – I was on the waiting list and finally I’m here,” she said.

“When I took the flight I thought I was going to cry, people were clapping and I’m just so relieved.”

Paddy Gray, who had planned to fly to Alicante for a golfing trip with 11 friends last Saturday, was delighted to learn he would finally be jetting off.

“We weren’t going to cancel anyhow. Even if we had to postpone until September or October it was going to happen,” he said.

“We were very fortunate because we were at home but if you were stranded abroad that was the biggest problem – although I know a few of the guys in my group would like to be stranded away for a fortnight or three weeks.”