Dublin Airport runway maintenance 'will mean no sleep' for nearby residents due to diverted flights

Airport administrator Daa said: 'We appreciate that this can be disruptive and thank residents for their understanding while these essential works are completed.'

Local residents have criticised a pending runway closure at Dublin Airport which they say will cause sleepless nights amid the ongoing hot weather.

The airport has said that its south runway will shut for five nights next week for essential maintenance. It is the ninth such closure of the older of the airport’s two runways in the last 12 months.

The local St Margaret’s The Ward (SMTW) residents grouping says it is “impossible to sleep without windows open” leaving residences vulnerable to the noise from diverted jets.

Ordinarily the north runway is prohibited from carrying air traffic between 11pm-7am.

However, with the south runway shut, overnight traffic — often as many as 90 flights, the majority of them arrivals, will be rerouted to the newer airstrip.

SMTW spokesperson Liam O’Gradaigh said “use of the north runway at night will mean no sleep for those residents along the flight path”.

“During these heatwaves it’s impossible to sleep without windows open. The majority of the people affected have not been provided with noise insulation as the insulation schemes only apply using annual averages and these noise events are averaged out.”

Airport administrator Daa said the closure — which will see all traffic using the north runway between 9pm and 5am each night — is necessary for the conduction of “essential runway maintenance”.

“We recognise that this temporary change in runway operations may result in increased aircraft noise for some local communities during the overnight period,” it said.

“We appreciate that this can be disruptive and thank residents for their understanding while these essential works are completed.”

The works are to include the refreshing of runway markings, grass cutting, and ‘delethalisation’ works — the removal of potential hazards from runway surfaces.

Asked if the airport had engaged with the locality over the impact of the additional noise expected over the five nights, a Daa spokesperson said that they had been.

“Local community groups and runway information subscribers were notified in advance of the scheduled closure period. Information was also published through Dublin Airport's usual community communication channels,” they said.

They said that the south runway is now 37 years old and “requires regular scheduled closures to allow for essential maintenance”.