Government to meet US airlines over airport delays

Government officials are seeking a meeting with a group of North American airlines that claim delays at Dublin Airport could hit their business over the summer.

An organisation representing US carriers — American Airlines, Delta, United and Air Canada — wrote last week to the ministers for transport and tourism, Eamon Ryan and Catherine Martin, warning that problems at the airport would become “more urgent” as holiday travel increased.

The organisation maintains that “a significant number” of customers have missed connecting flights in the US following delays in Dublin, including 270 United passengers in May.

The Department of Transport confirmed on Tuesday that the group, Airlines for America, raised several issues affecting its members with the Government.

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“Officials in the Department of Transport and the Department of Tourism are engaging with a view to arranging a meeting with the representative group as soon as possible,” said a transport spokesman.

A Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media spokesman pointed out that airport operations fell within Mr Ryan’s remit. “Department officials are engaging with officials in the Department of Transport to ensure difficulties persisting at the airport are urgently resolved,” he added.

Airlines for America’s letter highlights the Government refusal to allow airport owner, DAA, to issue temporary security passes to ground-handling workers from abroad.

All ground handlers, hired by airlines and private companies rather than the DAA, need security passes, issued once they pass Garda background checks, to work at Irish airports.

“We would like to understand the Government’s position because the deployment of ground handling officials from abroad on a temporary basis would help relieve the current congestion,” says the group’s letter.

Airlines for America says members will carry around 6,300 arriving and departing passengers a day between North America and Dublin over the summer.

DAA did not comment on the letter as it was sent to the two ministers, not the airport company. Kevin Cullinane, DAA group head of communications, said measures, introduced since delays on the last weekend of May caused passengers to miss flights, were working well.

These stream people according to whether they can go straight to security, are checking in, or dropping off bags.

More than 650,000 passengers passed through Dublin Airport over the last week. “The vast majority of passengers have been getting through security screening in less than 45 minutes, although at busy times this has been extended to around 60 minutes,” said Mr Cullinane.

More than 750,000 people are due through the airport over the next seven days. DAA continues to advise travellers to arrive 2.5 hours before short-haul flights and 3.5 hours ahead of longer trips. Those dropping off bags should add an extra hour.

Mr Cullinane pointed out that similar problems with hiring staff had prompted airlines and airports around Europe to cancel flights.

“DAA is keen to avoid such action at Dublin Airport if at all possible and we remain fully committed to ensure we get our staffing levels and operations where they need to be to cope with rapidly rising passenger numbers,” he said.

The airport company has stopped selling fast-track security passes itself, but the service is still available for passengers who book it with their tickets. Airlines for America says some of its passengers had paid for this service but found it was not available.

Its letter to the ministers also highlights the fact that passengers who have paid to use the fast-track security line at Dublin can no longer do so.