Dublin Airport claims it had 'no option' but to divert overnight flights over heavily populated areas

A spokesperson for Dublin Airport said the closure had been necessitated at short notice “for safety reasons” following the identification of an issue with the south runway’s taxiway. File photo

Dublin Airport has said it had “no option” other than to close one of its two runways on Tuesday — diverting all of its night traffic to its north runway — just hours before the beginning of the State exams.

The airport announced late on Tuesday afternoon that its south runway — which ordinarily operates all night-time traffic at the airport — would shut for emergency repair works from 11pm that night until 5am.

The airport handled more than 90 flights during that period, the vast majority of them arrivals approaching from the Irish Sea. On a normal night, those landings would be routed across the southern area of Portmarnock on the coast close to the airport.

However, on Tuesday night until after 3am on Wednesday, the landing planes were routed across the northern area of the town.

The St Margaret’s Ward residents group queried the decision to close the runway, noting that little warning regarding the closure was given to local families, especially those with students taking their first exams on Wednesday morning. 

No noise mitigation measures were in place on their properties, they said, with overflying jets for several hours.

The group has campaigned extensively in recent times against the departure flight paths flown from the airport’s newer north runway over heavily populated areas in north Dublin and County Meath.

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Spokesperson Liam O Gradaigh said of the south runway closure on Tuesday that “parents had no advance warning to make arrangements in order for their children to have a full night’s sleep before the first day of exams”.

“Sleep deprivation is well proven to reduce mental capacity. What alternatives were considered before this announcement was made?” he asked.

A spokesperson for the airport said however that the closure had been necessitated at short notice “for safety reasons” following the identification of an issue with the south runway’s taxiway.

“We had no option but to address the issue quickly to ensure safe flight operations for passengers,” they said.