Daa cannot rule out travel chaos as witnessed in UK

Long queues for check-in at Dublin Airport recently. Picture: Leah Farrell/RollingNews.ie

As the peak summer season begins, Dublin Airport Authority can't guarantee Irish holidaymakers won't be caught up in the same chaos which has hit British and European airports in the last 24 hours.

In Britain, Heathrow airport, which operates over 20 daily flights from Dublin, yesterday asked airlines to cut 10% of flights at two of its terminals while easyJet started cancelling thousands of summer flights.

Daa, which operates Dublin and Cork airports, said it can't rule out knock-on effects for Irish passengers from similar problems in the coming weeks.

"We note the decision taken by some airlines and airports in Europe and the UK to cancel flights. Daa is keen to avoid such action at Dublin Airport and we remain fully committed to ensuring we get our staffing levels and operations where they need to be to cope with rising passenger numbers," it said in a statement.

At least two flights from Heathrow to Dublin were cancelled yesterday, amid warnings that such disruption will also impact Irish passengers connecting in Britain’s busiest airport for onward journeys.

Strikes and shortages

Strikes and staff shortages are forcing airlines to cancel thousands of flights across the continent and resulting in hours-long queues at major airports, with Dublin Airport among those feeling the effects over recent weeks.

After sweeping job cuts and pay cuts when Covid-19 brought travel to a grinding halt, staff across the industry from pilots to baggage handlers are asking for pay increases and better working conditions.

At Ryanair, seven unions from Italy, France, Portugal, Belgium and Spain last month warned that cabin crew could launch a strike this summer if the airline had no “meaningful response” to their demands for better working conditions. Since then, they have announced plans to strike in all five countries in late June or early July.

Pat Dawson, chief executive of the Irish Travel Agents Association, said: “We’re at summer capacity now, with the schools closing. Flights are all going to be very full now for the next six to eight weeks.

As we go along, it’s certainly improving week-by-week at Dublin Airport but there’ll always be problems. 

"The big problem is the 6am to 8am departure times. Airlines all want to go out early and maximise their rotations during the day. We’re always concerned but the issues [in Dublin] are being resolved slowly but surely.” 

Travel expert Eoghan Corry said disruption to airports such as Heathrow and Schiphol in Amsterdam will have a knock-on effect for Irish passengers, given the popularity of these routes and their frequency to be used for connected flights.

“Heathrow is our biggest transfer airport,” he said. “People with complicated itineraries will usually be heading through there. The baggage system has been under a lot of pressure there already, and that’s been contributing to the situation in Dublin.”