Airport back to normal after drivers shift the protest to Leinster House

Things were getting back to normal at Dublin Airport yesterday afternoon as hundreds of taxi-drivers called off their blockade and moved the protest to Leinster House.

Aer Rianta estimated that up to 65,000 airline passengers had been affected by the taxi-drivers' protest over the two days.

"Some passengers did direct their anger at us," said Ms Siobhan Moore, Aer Rianta spokeswoman. "But we were at pains to point out that while this was an awful situation, it was not our dispute."

She said flights continued as normal, even though passengers were disrupted entering and leaving the airport.

A combination of a stronger Garda presence and Aer Rianta contingency plans meant that the situation was not as chaotic at the airport yesterday morning.

Ms Moore said gardai had opened up two lanes on the roundabout in the airport grounds.

Meanwhile, cars dropping off or picking up passengers were directed to enter the short-term car park at the exit, which was not blocked by protesters.

The shuttle bus from the longterm car park was back in operation and dropped passengers closer to the terminal building.

Aer Rianta served notice on seven drivers on Wednesday evening, following its securing of a temporary injunction in the High Court. The company returned to court yesterday to enforce the injunction but adjourned the proceedings indefinitely when the blockade was called off.

Ms Moore said it was unfortunate that Dublin Airport had been the subject of so many strikes in the past year. The 1998 Ryanair baggage strike was one of the most disruptive in recent years, according to Aer Rianta.