FULL independence for Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports has been taxiing on the runway for so long many observers now fear the plan will never be given clearance for takeoff.

TRANSPORT Minister Noel Dempsey sparked a fresh row yesterday by denying Cork Airport claims he had guaranteed financial support if it struggled to service its debt.

“I WOULDN’T book flights on Aer Lingus for any date soon,” was the ominous warning from one informed union source, ahead of today’s counting of worker votes on the airline’s new cost-cutting measures.

Ryanair’s announcement that it is dropping two of its Cork routes to Britain has come as a blow not just to Cork Airport but also to the Munster region as a whole, because it will inevitably impact on tourism and thus jobs in the tourist sector.

RYANAIR’S swift departure from its Cork flights to Glasgow and East Midlands could not have come at a worse time for Cork Airport.

CORK Airport strongly rejected claims last night of a slump in business.

STRIKE action could force Dublin Airport to close at its busiest time of the year causing travel chaos for thousands of holidaymakers.

HALF of the country’s health regions have shown a high increase in the number of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), according to figures just released.

SIEMENS has been awarded a €40 million contract by the Dublin Airport Authority. The multimillion-euro deal will see Siemens design and build a baggage handling system for Dublin Airport’s passenger terminal T2.

THE Labour Relations Commission has intervened in the pensions dispute between the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) and its unions, which threatens to escalate into full-scale strike action.

Cork threatens Shannon’s title as the state’s second busiest airport after 15 years of successive growth, writes Seán McCárthaigh.

Ryanair, US routes and independence from Dublin are all key issues for the airport’s survival, writes Seán McCárthaigh.

RYANAIR is cutting the number of weekly flights to and from Dublin this winter from 1,350 to 1,200, a drop of 12%.

FIRE and ambulance crews at Dublin Airport have voted to begin industrial action in two weeks in protest at plans to introduce new rostering.

I TAKE issue with your ‘elevation’ of former Cork Airport Authority (CAA) chairman Joe Gantly as Business Person of the Week (April 26).

THE Dublin Airport Authority said it is asking land-use officials to drop limits to overnight flights using its planned second runway to allow more peak-time service.

The new Dublin Aviation Institute is being officially launched today.

Two wind warnings which were put in place across the country last night have now ended.

Dublin Airport will accommodate almost 288,000 passengers over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Post tax profits at airport operator DAA jumped by 41% last year.