Ryanair - Radar Failure at Dublin Airport

[White Cap]

Ryanair

Radar Failure at Dublin Airport

Ryanair were advised at approx 1400hrs by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) that due to the Radar Failure at Dublin Airport all flights have been grounded and are being allowed to depart one every five minutes, which will give rise to departure slot delays of up to 5 hours for aircraft which are presently waiting to depart from Dublin. We have been advised that the IAA shut down the Dublin Radar computer but that the restart was unsuccessful.

As at 15:00hrs we have received no further information from the IAA and any inquiries should now be made directly with the IAA via their Headquarters Office in Dublin at Telephone No.: +353 1 671 8655

These unknown but lengthy delays at Dublin Airport have forced 5 inbound Ryanair aircraft to divert, 4 to Shannon and 1 to Belfast. This computer failure will give rise to substantial knock-on delays, and crews will go out of hours later this afternoon.

We hope that normal service will be restored at Dublin as a matter of priority.

[White Cap]

Ryanair News
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

News Release
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

09.07.08
Ryanair apologises that Ireland is closed for business

Wednesday, 9th July, 2008: Ryanair, Ireland’s largest airlines this evening (Wednesday) apologised that the island of Ireland has closed for business as a result of the failures of the IAA Radar System at Dublin Airport.

Because the Dublin Airport Radar System failed at 14:00hrs today and because that IAA appear to have no back up/contingency plan, Ryanair has been forced to cancel almost all flights to and from Dublin Airport from mid-afternoon onwards. This involves a total of 74 flights and over 13,000 passengers to/from Dublin Airport.

Ryanair has today called for a government investigation into the failure of the Dublin Airport Radar System, the failure of the IAA to have a back up/contingency plan and the failure of the Aviation Regulator to ensure that the IAA monopoly, which he regulates, provides a service which airlines and passengers require at Dublin Airport.

Stephen McNamara, Head of Communication, Ryanair, said:

“It is unacceptable that the island of Ireland has today closed for business. Flights can not get permission to land or depart at Dublin Airport, and both Cork and Shannon are now completely full with aircraft which diverted earlier today from Dublin. As Ireland faces into a busy summer travel period, we need assurances from the government, the IAA, and the Aviation Regulator that should the Dublin Radar System fail again, an appropriate and effective contingency plan will be put in place to prevent the island of Ireland being closed again.”

[White Cap]

Ryanair-Nachrichten
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

News Release
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10.07.08
Radar-Unterbrechungen in Dublin

Zweiter Tag mit Flugverspätungen und -ausfällen

London-Stansted / Dublin, 10. Juli 2008: Nachdem das Radarsystem der irischen Luftfahrtbehörde IAA bereits am gestrigen Nachmittag Störungen aufwies und es dadurch zu massiven Verspätungen und Flugausfällen am Flughafen Dublin kam, ist auch heute Vormittag immer noch keine verlässliche Funktion des Radars gegeben. Die zuständige Behörde kann im Moment nicht zusagen, wann das Radarsystem wieder in seinem vollen Umfang verfügbar sein wird.
Aus diesem Grund waren in der ersten Flugwelle am heutigen Morgen etwa die Hälfte aller Ryanair-Flüge ab Dublin verspätet. Diese Maschinen, die aktuell wieder auf dem Rückflug in die irische Hauptstadt sind, landen um bis zu 90 Minuten verspätet wieder in Dublin. Dadurch wird auch die zweite Welle der Abflüge aus Dublin stark beinträchtigt werden.
Die irische Luftfahrtbehörde IAA sieht sich nicht in der Lage, eine klare Auskunft zu geben, wann die Radarkapazität sich verbessern wird; daher erwartet Ryanair nun auch am späten Vormittag massive Verspätungen und möglicherweise Flugstreichungen.
Ryanair entschuldigt sich bei allen Passagieren für diese Unannehmlichkeiten, die darauf basieren, dass die IAA ihre Luftsicherheits-Leistungen nicht in dem Umfang zur Verfügung stellen kann, für den Ryanair und andere Fluggesellschaften so viel zahlen müssen. Allen Passagieren empfehlen wir daher, die Fluginformationen auf http://www.ryanair.com zu beachten, sich aber unbedingt zur geplanten Check-in- und Abflugzeit am Flughafen einzufinden, trotz möglicher Verspätungen und Flugstreichungen am späten Vormittag und Nachmittag.
Ryanair-Pressesprecher Stephen McNamara sagte dazu:
„Ryanair hat heute morgen erneut das irische Verkehrsministerium und die Luftfahrtbehörde um Stellungnahme gebeten, weshalb es kein funktionierendes Sicherungskonzept oder einen Notfallplan für diese sich stets wiederholenden Ausfälle des Computersystems am Flughafen Dublin gibt.“

[White Cap]

Radar disruptions at Dublin Airport - Day 3 - 11th July

UPDATE: 08:30hrs - 11th July - Due to the continuing failure of the IAA to restore the Radar System to full capacity at Dublin Airport - Ryanair's flights are again this morning suffering delays of up to 1 hour which means that significant delays and cancellations cannot be ruled out later today. Ryanair is continuing to work with the IAA this morning to try to reduce these delays in an effort to minimise delays and cancellations to our schedule. Passengers should continue to present themselves at the airport in time for their scheduled flight departures, but regrettably they should expect delays. Ryanair wish to apologise sincerely to all passengers affected by this unjustified and unacceptable failure of the IAA's Radar System at Dublin Airport.

For further information on flights and delays please check the flight information page on http://www.ryanair.com