First it was open, then it closed, then it opened, now it’s closed again. Are we bored of the snow yet?
It looks lovely if you’re looking out of a warm house with a hot whiskey in your hand. But the snow is continuing to cause misery for people trying to use Dublin airport to get somewhere (or to land if coming in from somewhere else).
Thanks to yet more of the white stuff, Dublin airport had to close its runway on Thursday evening for the umpteenth time this week.
At first the Dublin Airport Authority said flights would be suspended until 11pm, later extending the closure until 5am on Christmas Eve.
A statement from the DAA tonight said:
“Flight operations were suspended at Dublin Airport from 18.30 as a result of heavy snowfalls. Snow continued to fall persistently for the following three hours.
“Our snow and ice crew are working to clear the runway, taxiway and apron area in time for the first wave of flight arrival and departures tomorrow morning – subject to favourable weather conditions.
“Passengers planning to travel tomorrow are advised to contact their airline or airline’s website BEFORE coming to the airport.”
According to DAA spokeswomen Siobhan Moore, friction tests showed that the braking action of aircraft had been compromised following snow showers this afternoon.
Taking into account the three and a half hour disruption earlier today, 270 flights and approximately 40,000 passengers have been affected by today’s bad weather.
Earlier in the day, heavy snow had resulted in the cancellation of around 100 flights, affecting 15,000 passengers.
After the first closure of the day, a Ryanair spokesman said he could not see why the airport needed to close for three and a half hours, adding that Ryanair believed that the runway could be cleared in less than an hour.
He called on the Government to investigate the closures. Ryanair operates on a very tight schedule, causing a knock-on effect that means that many subsequent flights today will be affected as many planes will not be where they’re supposed to be.
Necessary
The Dublin Airport Authority said it thought the closure was necessary and it was surprised and disappointed with Ryanair’s comments.
Dublin has been particularly badly hit by the heavy snowfalls. Other Irish airports are fully operational.
Away from the airports, all of the major inter-city routes and local primary routes are being treated and maintained for the severe weather.
Irish Rail has advised passengers travelling by train that there is expected to be heavy demand on Intercity services on Christmas Eve. Customers intending to travel on Intercity service should book their travel on www.irishrail.ie if possible.
Tickets will be sold at train stations but customers with bookings will be prioritised.
Bus Eireann operated full services on Thursday (subject to some curtailments and diversions). Information on services that may be affected on Christmas Eve is available from www.transport.ie and www.buseireann.ie.
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