A move to ban certain aircraft from flying over the Tour de France will be challenged by an aerial advertising company in the High Court on Thursday. Aerial Advertising Ltd was yesterday given leave to seek an order preventing any attempt by the Irish Aviation Authority to stop the company's aircraft flying over the race.
Mr Justice Quirke also granted leave to Aerial Advertising Ltd to seek an order quashing an IAA notice which would allow only "specific aircraft" to operate over the cycle race. The notice states the prohibition was made under arrangements agreed between the IAA and the race organisers.
Mr Bill Shipsey SC, for the company, with headquarters at Weston Aerodrome, Leixlip, Co Kildare, said the Tour de France took place this weekend. His clients had secured valuable contracts to tow advertising banners.
The company's managing director, Mr Kieran O'Connor, had written to the IAA some months ago to see if he could get answers to suggestions that there might be some restriction on aircraft in the vicinity of the race. From March until June, little communication was received from the IAA. His client was told that, on June 18th, the Minister for Public Enterprise had purported to give a direction to the IAA to impose restrictions over certain areas of the country.
The IAA purported to issue a notice on June 26th prohibiting aircraft in specific areas other than those aircraft which were allowed to operate within the cycle tour area under the terms of an agreement between the IAA and L'Evenement Ltd.
Mr Shipsey said L'Evenement was believed to be the company involved in organising the Tour. His clients later received a notice from Shannon Airport which purported to create temporary restricted airspace. It said aircraft operations would be restricted to those aircraft agreed by the tour organisers, L'Evenement Ltd and the IAA as "necessary for the support of the Tour de France".
Mr Shipsey said the ministerial direction allowed the IAA to impose restrictions but not to prohibit aircraft within the particular area. It could not say that company A's aircraft were allowed into the particular area and that company B's were prohibited.
Mr Shipsey said they had received a copy of restrictions imposed by "our French friends" over their cycle races which specified that unless there was a special exemption from the authorities, aircraft were prohibited from flying below 1,500 feet. His clients had no problem with such a restriction. His clients might lose 10 contracts as a result of the IAA's decision, Mr Shipsey said.