Ryanair criticises IAA radar failure at Dublin Airport

Ryanair has criticised the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) for the incident which followed the failure of the IAA’s radar system at Dublin Airport, causing Dublin Airport to be closed to inbound flights at 14:00hrs yesterday with five inbound Ryanair flights being diverted to Shannon and Belfast.

At 15:30hrs, the best information available to Ryanair from the IAA was that Dublin’s air traffic control (ATC) capacity would be reduced by 2/3 for the remainder of the day, leading to widespread diversions, flight cancellations and delays.

Stephen McNamara, Head of Communications, Ryanair said,

“The issues with radar equipment at Dublin have been known for some weeks and it is unacceptable that there is no contingency or back up plan. The IAA needs to explain to passenger why flights are being delayed today by up to 5 hours, with many more cancelled. This shambles is unacceptable at Ireland’s main gateway airport. Ryanair also calls on the Aviation Regulator, Cathal Guiomard, to explain what he is doing to eliminate these service failures at the IAA monopoly which he is supposed to regulate on behalf of consumers.”