'I was sure it was a terrorist attack': Cork 9/11 survivor caught up in Heathrow chaos

Deirdre Rock, left, greeted by her sister Christine Rock at Cork Airport. Deirdre had only worked up the courage to start flying again in recent years after surviving the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center. Picture: Larry Cummins

A 9/11 survivor from Cork was among those to have their travel plans thrown into chaos following the closure of Heathrow Airport.

Eight flights between Cork Airport and Heathrow were cancelled after a fire at an electrical station shut the London airport and impacted 1,350 flights to and from the English capital.

Christine Rock from Youghal was anxious to meet her sister Deirdre at the arrivals gate in Cork after an eventful few hours. 

Deirdre, who lives in New Jersey, had been due to travel on a connecting flight from New Jersey to Heathrow en route home to Cork to visit her family. 

She had to fork out hundreds of euro for an alternative flight from Edinburgh.

Deirdre Rock, left, with her sister Christine Rock at Cork Airport. Deirdre's plans were disrupted by the Heathrow shutdown when her flight from New York was diverted to Glasgow. Of the Heathrow disruption, Deirdre says: 'I was sure it was a terrorist attack because that’s where my brain goes. It could always have been worse.' Picture: Larry Cummins

Christine explained that her sister had only worked up the courage to start flying again in recent years.

She had been buying coffee on the eighth floor of one of the Twin Towers of World Trade Center in New York, where she worked as an accountant, when the terrorist attacks occurred on September 11, 2001.

“Even though she is the younger one in the family she is the one we all depend on her,” Christine said. 

“She is the glue that holds our family together.” 

Alan Hayes was greeted by his parents John and Catherine and his sister Laura Fitzgerald with her boys Conor and Eanna at Cork Airport on Friday. His flight from Perth, Australia was diverted from Heathrow to Paris CDG where he was able to catch a connecting flight to Cork. Picture: Larry Cummins

Christine said her sister has dealt with a lot over the years, which has contributed to her ability to stay calm under pressure.

“Deirdre was working the day of the 9/11 attacks. She thought it was a fire drill initially. She didn’t get on a flight for years afterwards but as our parents got older she had no choice. It was something she had to work through.” 

Despite missing a diverted flight due to a long wait for her baggage, Deirdre was quick to put yesterday's travel disruption into perspective.

I was sure it was a terrorist attack because that’s where my brain goes. It could always have been worse. 

Deirdre had to think on her feet in a bid to make it home to Cork.

“I was supposed to fly into Heathrow and then through to Cork. We got diverted to Glasgow. 

"We missed the next flight, as we were still waiting for our bags when it left. 

Sisters Roisín and Eve Crowley from Clonakilty, greeted their granddad Peter Dolan, originally from Co Roscommon and now living in Melbourne, Australia. Peter's flight to Londow Heathrow was diverted to Paris. He eventually got a flight from Paris to Cork Airport. Picture: Larry Cummins

"The next option was to go from Edinburgh because everything else was booked. I didn’t think in a million years that the taxi driver was going to take me all that way to Edinburgh, as there was such a long line waiting for him. 

"The journey normally takes an hour and a half but he got me there in an hour. I could have hugged him. The taxi journey cost around £140 altogether. Then there were the extra costs for bags and everything else that come with Ryanair flights.” 

Patrick Hartnett, Bishopstown with his son Declan whose flight to London was cancelled due to the closure of Londow Heathrow Airport on Friday morning. Picture: Larry Cummins

Also impacted was Shaun O’Connor, who had to change his flights at short notice despite being due to leave for Everest Base Camp the following morning. 

The Cork man and his friends had planned to travel there as part of an initiative to raise funds for Cork University Maternity Hospital and the Dr Ashleigh Byrne-O’Brien Memorial Fund.

“We’re supposed to be going to Everest Basecamp tomorrow. I was swiping through my phone and my heart sank when I saw the news. 

"The plan was to fly out Saturday. However, we were worried that the flight was going to be delayed so we have booked flights to Stansted instead. 

Amid the chaos, some people's travel plans were uninterrupted. Blackrock Taekwondo instructor Paul Manning (second left) with martial arts students Eoin O'Donoghue, Cormac Harrington, David O'Donoghue, Amy Sullivan, David Lyons, and Sean Óg Lordan had no disruption to their plans to fly with KLM to Amsterdam to compete at the Dutch Taekwondo Open. Picture: Larry Cummins

"We have to fly tonight and I haven’t even got a hotel booked. We are due in at midnight and I have no idea where I’m going to be staying. It was about €230 for the flights.” 

Meanwhile Up to 2,000 people arrived in Shannon Airport in the early hours of Friday when their flights were diverted unexpectedly.

The airport accommodated six affected flights from Toronto, Atlanta, Bridgetown Barbados, Boston, Orlando, and Newark.

It will be a huge logistical challenge to get people to their final destinations, according to Niall Kearns, airport director at Shannon Airport.

“How long it will take will completely be with the airline and the ground handlers to try and figure out what's the most efficient solution for them," he said. 

"There would have been a large exercise trying to accommodate as many people in hotel rooms at short notice. Certainly, the first flight that got off would have taken up all the local available capacity."

Mr Kearns said the airport is well used to handling unexpected scenarios.

"Normally in a situation like this, air traffic control would be notified that there is an issue, and that there are aircraft in the air looking for an alternative destination. There would have been communication from air traffic control to the airport operations office and the duty manager here, who would start coordinating the response."