Several hundred Aer Lingus passengers were left stranded today after a seventh transatlantic flight was cancelled due to damage caused by a mini-tornado at Dublin airport.
The airline was forced to call off this afternoon's EI125 service to Chicago with 300 travellers facing delays of up to 24 hours.
Six Aer Lingus flights were cancelled over the weekend after hurricane winds caused two parked company jets to collide with one another.
An Aer Lingus spokeswoman said today's cancellation was a knock-on effect of the disruption and the airline hoped to have cleared up all delays by tomorrow.
Around 1,300 travellers were hit by delays over the last two days. The spokeswoman said 450 passengers stranded at Shannon Airport would be flown to the United States this morning, while 150 people waiting in Dublin would leave later for New York.
She denied passengers were being forced to wait until the end of the week before being accommodated on flights across the Atlantic.
The airline said delays were prolonged because of extreme difficulties in hiring aircraft to cover the unserviceable jets over the holiday season.
Travellers holding confirmed reservations on EI125 to Chicago should contact Aer Lingus on 01 8868844.
Freak winds of more than 80mph and gusting up to hurricane force ripped through Co Meath and parts of Dublin on Saturday, damaging homes, tearing slates off roofs, overturning cars and bringing down trees.
-PA