Aer Lingus and DAA asked to provide details of August bank holiday weekend plans

Aer Lingus chief executive Lynne Embleton, Daa managing director Vincent Harrison and officials representing ground handling companies at the airport will appear before the Oireachtas transport committee on Tuesday morning. Picture: Martha  Brennan

Aer Lingus, the DAA and airport ground handlers have been asked to provide details of how they will manage the busy August bank holiday weekend.

The Oireachtas transport committee is to question representatives on the up-to-date situation at Dublin Airport, including disruption and cancellation of Aer Lingus flight schedules, inconvenience for passengers and displaced baggage, ahead this weekend.

Aer Lingus chief executive Lynne Embleton, DAA managing director Vincent Harrison and officials representing ground handling companies at the airport will appear before the committee on Tuesday morning after members raised concerns about the difficulties that have been arising in Dublin Airport in recent months.

Committee chair Kieran O’Donnell TD, said: “Delayed and lost baggage at Dublin Airport has become a significant issue for passengers over a number of weeks now and the committee will discuss how these are being managed and resolved for affected passengers with both Swissport and Sky Handling Partner.

“The committee looks forward to our engagement with Aer Lingus in respect of the ongoing cancellations of flights, particularly those at Dublin Airport together with the adverse impact of the Heathrow passenger caps on flights from Dublin, Shannon and Cork airports."

Government spending

Meanwhile, Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath has published the Mid-Year Expenditure Report 2022, which sets out increased spending growth rates for of 6% for this year and 6.5% for 2023.

"The Government’s strategy is to deliver sustainable expenditure growth. In response to the challenging economic context, a short-term increase in the level of expenditure is required to protect public services and respond to the cost of living pressures.

"The Government is acutely aware of the cost-of-living pressures facing households at the present time."

He said the budget would complement the measures already introduced and focus on further cost-of-living supports with a core expenditure package of €5.7bn, €400m of which will be allocated in 2022 for the early implementation of new measures. This will see core gross voted expenditure reaching €85.8bn in 2023.