Bitter weather conditions continue to severely impact flights to and from Dublin Airport despite the airport saying it is fully open and operational.
Another load of flights have been scrapped at Dublin Airport as disruptions due to icy weather continue.
Eight outbound and 10 inbound services were cancelled on Tuesday following over 70 flights cancelled on Monday.
This comes as Ireland recorded its coldest day in 12 years, since 2010, on Monday as temperatures dipped to -7.2C in Athenry, Co Galway.
Amid the chaos, the Irish Mirror spoke to one passenger who described his airport experience as "the most horrendous travel experience of my life”.
Matthew had his flight booked and was due to fly from Dublin to Stansted Airport in London on Friday at 1.30pm.
He told The Irish Mirror: “Overall, the most horrendous airport/flying experience I’ve had in my life. On Friday 9th December, I had a flight booked from Dublin to Stansted at 1.30pm.”
Matthew was to begin his journey on Friday, but his flight was delayed by 13 hours until 2.45am on Saturday morning (December 10), which meant waiting all day in Dublin Airport for the flight.
He then arrived at the departure gate - only to be told by airline staff that the flight was cancelled.
He said: “It was delayed by 13 hours until 2.45am and after waiting all day for the flight, we arrived at the gate only to be told that the flight was cancelled.
“This was not due to the ice/snow but because there were no Ryanair cabin staff available to be on the plane. How true this is, it’s hard to tell.”
The passenger revealed that he was told it was not because of the adverse weather conditions, such as ice and snow, but because there were no Ryanair cabin staff available to be on the plane.
Matthew tried to get another flight from Dublin to Stansted on Sunday December 11, Ryanair flight FR226, at 3.40pm.
Just over an hour later, passengers were told by Ryanair staff over the monitor that the respective flight was delayed.
He explained: “I tried again on Sunday the 11th December, Ryanair flight FR226 to Stansted at 3.40pm. By 5pm we were only told by the Ryanair staff over the monitor that the flight was delayed.“
Matthew explained that there was no one at the gate (Gate 112) until 5.30pm.
“Despite the delay, the departure screens in Dublin Airport still said Go to Gate at 4.45pm, for a 3.40pm flight.”
Passengers booked onto Ryanair flight FR226 to Stansted faced further delays until 7.30pm, when the plane finally departed at 8pm, only to be diverted to Manchester Airport.
Passengers were kept on the plane in Manchester for 90 minutes until the terminal bus could pick them up.
Matthew explained that there were no Ryanair representatives available to speak to passengers in Manchester, and there was no bus organised to bring passengers to Stansted Airport.
Matthew expressed his dismay at the horrendous experience, and slammed the Daa and Ryanair as disgraceful for their failure to look after passengers.
“The flight was delayed until 7.30pm. The plane departed at roughly 8pm. It was then diverted to Manchester airport.
“We were kept on the plane in Manchester for an hour and a half until the terminal bus could pick us up. “
“There was no Ryanair representative in Manchester to speak to. No bus organised to bring us to Stansted.”
“Overall, an absolute disgrace by Daa and Ryanair. Completely inhumane practices in looking after passengers.”, he said.
The Irish Mirror approached both the Daa and Ryanair for comment.
In a statement, Ryanair said: “Due to adverse weather conditions across Ireland, we have experienced a small number of delays/cancellations to our flights to/from Dublin Airport, incl. these flights from Dublin to London Stansted (09 & 11 Dec).
As adverse weather continues across the UK and Ireland, our teams are working hard to minimise disruption to customers and Ryanair advises all customers flying to/from Ireland & UK to check the Ryanair website/app for flight status updates before travelling to the airport.
"We sincerely apologise for these weather-related disruptions which are beyond our control.”
Daa said in a statement: "62,000 passengers are scheduled to fly in and out of Dublin Airport today (Wednesday) with 527 scheduled flights due to take off and land. Just 8 of these flights have been cancelled due to weather conditions abroad - 4 departures and the corresponding 4 return flights. Six of these flights were due to fly into and out of French airports in the capital Paris today, which is covered under a blanket of snow.
"Air traffic at Paris' main airports is heavily disrupted by this snowfall, France's air safety regulator DGAC has advised.
"As part of Dublin Airport’s Winter Readiness Plan, our runways and taxiways were pre-emptively sprayed overnight to keep the airport fully open and operation as it has been throughout this cold spell.
"With further very cold and wintery weather predicted in the UK and across Europe forecasted over the coming days, passengers are advised to check the latest flight information on the airline’s website or app."
READ NEXT :
Missing Amy Fitzpatrick was paid to go on 'drugs runs' before disappearance
First woman to get Covid-19 vaccine in Ireland dies as tributes are paid
Exact dates social welfare payments will be made over Christmas 2022
Cash-strapped RTE spend over €80k launching their annual new season event
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter
