Ryanair and Others May Need To Cancel Flights Out of Dublin Airport

Ultra Low Cost Carrier Ryanair has been put on notice by the Dublin Airport Authority regarding flights operated during overnight hours. Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said “We will have to start cancelling flights in four weeks’ time. That first wave of departures in the morning… we will have to have mass cancellations of a lot of those flights.”

DAA was given notice by a local council that they would have to reduce flights between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. following multiple noise complaints from local residents. The planning commission proceeded with an investigation that led to the removal of overnight slots at the airport. The investigation was part of the approval for Dublin’s new runway to the North of the airport. The approval was granted with the understanding that only 65 flights would operate during the overnight hours.

Michael O’Leary went as far as to call the enforcement of the rules “idiotic” and “stupid” claiming that a “tiny number of neighbors” shouldn’t be allowed to stop the flow of traffic at Ireland’s biggest airport. Ultimately all operators in and out of Dublin will be impacted by this move but Ryanair seems to have been the most vocal on the topic, and quite understandably so, since Dublin is a major cornerstone in Ryanair’s network. Aer Lingus is the other large player at Dublin Airport that will have to reduce or cancel the number of flights it operates overnight.

Although it hasn’t happened yet, a disruption of this magnitude at a major airport can have far-reaching effects. Ryanair exists because they are able to turn planes around in the shortest amount of time possible and having to keep planes in place on a stand or at a remote gate is bad for their business.

Fortunately, for all the airlines involved this reduction in operations comes just after the busy summer season comes to an end. However, if a resolution is not found, tens of thousands of passengers could end up stranded or left looking elsewhere for their travel needs during the holiday season this winter.

At this point I would like to hear from our readers: is this something that will make you rethink potential travel plans or are you willing to potentially risk having delays or cancellations?

As far as I am concerned, I am always willing to wait out a delay regardless of what the reason is. I love the experience of traveling, the good, the bad and the horribly delayed. That being said I have yet to fly with Ryanair and this coming winter was meant to be my first time out of Dublin Airport. Time will tell whether my travels will go ahead as planned or I will change my mind.  Stay tuned to Airlinegeeks for that trip report soon.

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Taylor Guglielmino

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