US airlines group seek meeting over ‘significant’ delays at Dublin Airport

A group representing major North American airlines has written to Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan and Tourism Minister Catherine Martin asking for a meeting over “significant” delays at Dublin Airport.

Airlines for America says that hundreds of their passengers have faced delays and missed connecting flights at Dublin Airport, RTE News reports.

The airline group has also complained that their premium business class passengers “are forced to join the general queue” at Dublin Airport even though they have paid use fast-track facilities.

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A spokesperson for the Department of Transport said a meeting will be arranged as soon as possible with the group, which represents American, Delta, United and Air Canada.

In the two-page letter, Keith Glatz Vice President of the group says Airlines for America is concerned that passengers with “reduced mobility are left stranded in the airport for long periods of time without wheelchair, or other needed assistance”.

Mr. Glatz said that A4A understands that the Irish Government “will not allow the DAA to issue temporary security passes to ground handling employees located abroad”, which he says would help relieve the congestion.

“Without appropriate action to manage the increase in passenger volume, our passengers will continue to experience significant delays and missed connections,” said Mr. Glatz in the letter.

Speaking earlier today, Transport Minister Eamon Ryan said that the situation at Dublin Airport remained challenging but that it continues to try to manage the situation while avoiding the cancellation of flights.

Mr. Ryan said that the airport will see the “real peak” of passenger numbers during July and August and that it will be “very tight”.

He told reporters that this was part of a wider “difficult” and “complex” situation across Europe.

It comes as Heathrow Airport cancelled around 30 flights yesterday following problems with the baggage system.

Between them the North American carriers serve 13 destinations from Dublin including Chicago, New York, Dallas, Toronto, Boston and Philadelphia.

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