Severe weather conditions have closed Dublin airport again.
Bitter cold and heavy snow showers forced the closure of the runway at lunchtime on Tuesday. At first it was hoped that the runway would reopen, but more snowfall made that impossible.
The plan is now for flights to recommence at 8am on Wednesday.
As the airport terminal became more and more clogged, travellers were told to leave, to go home and to rebook flights online.
This was easier said than done, with people heavily outnumbering taxis and buses and with foreign visitors clearly unable to go home… without the help of fully operational aeroplanes.
An appeal for extra taxis to come to the airport was successful, however, and the overcrowding had eased by the evening. In the end around 300-400 people had no option but to sleep in one of the terminals.
The newly opened Terminal 2 is open and airport authorities are recommending that people use it for a quieter night’s sleep.
Snow and ice teams are working through the night to get the runway ready for the morning.
In preparation for the airport’s reopening, Aer Lingus have hired in larger plans and taken extra slots, with Aer Arann flying some of those slots, in order to help people get home for Christmas.
Met Eireann have revised their prediction for the thaw. They are now saying that it won’t come until St Stephen’s Day, with most areas having a White Christmas.
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