A number of flights at Cork Airport were disrupted this morning due to an industrial dispute over staffing levels between air traffic controllers and management.
Airlines affected include Aer Lingus, Aer Arran and Ryanair, and flights affected are those that were scheduled to depart or arrive before 8am.
The closure of air traffic control services between midnight and 8am is the result of an ongoing row between the Irish Aviation Authority, which employs the air traffic controllers, and staff represented by trade union Impact.
It is understood this morning's difficulty centres around the unavailability of one, usually Dublin-based controller, whose regular 90-day permit for operating at Cork airport had not been renewed in time for shift work there.
A spokesman for the Irish Aviation Authority said this morning the absence of one air traffic controller due to illness caused problems at Shannon airport for for three hours yesterday evening. Less than ten flights were affected and services are running as normal today.
He said no other airports are affected.