Cork Airport halted all flights between midnight and 7am last Wednesday due to a lack of available air traffic controllers, the latest in a series of disruptions impacting Irish airspace. The incident underscores a growing crisis in staffing levels that officials warn could lead to significant travel chaos this summer.
The restrictions at Cork Airport stemmed from “short-notice sick abandon overnight” and the absence of available cover, according to AirNav Ireland, the body responsible for Irish air traffic control. The disruption follows similar incidents at Dublin and Shannon airports, where runway restrictions and closures have been implemented in recent weeks. The northern runway at Dublin Airport has been closed by staffing shortages on eleven occasions this year alone, while Shannon experienced a single closure.
The frequency of these events has prompted concern from Transport Minister Darragh O’Brien, who stated he is “paying close attention” to the staffing issues. His department’s “primary focus is on ensuring the smooth operation of our airports and minimising disruption to passengers,” he said in a statement. However, he added that it would be “inappropriate to comment further” while AirNav Ireland engages with the Fórsa union through internal dispute resolution mechanisms.
Talks between Fórsa and AirNav Ireland are ongoing following an agreement on proposals reached yesterday. AirNav Ireland has confirmed that Fórsa has accepted the proposals presented to both parties, with further discussions scheduled for next week. The union has previously expressed concerns about the increasing reliance on overtime to maintain air traffic control operations.
Eoghan Corry, editor of Travel Extra, warned that the current situation is particularly worrying given that the disruptions are occurring during the low season for aviation. “Air traffic control hasn’t been recruiting or hasn’t been able to recruit at the level that’s required,” Corry told Newstalk. “What is worrying is we’ve had 10 incidents since the start of the year, and this is low season in terms of aviation. When the summer kicks in, it’s unlikely that things will have improved.”
Pat Noctor, president of the Irish Air Traffic Controllers Association (IATCA), has called on Minister O’Brien to intervene directly to prevent further disruption. Areas of Irish airspace have been closed more than ten times since the beginning of the year due to staff shortages, according to reports. Daa, the operator of Dublin and Cork airports, has acknowledged that departures and arrivals at Dublin Airport have been impacted “at times over a number of weeks,” with airspace closures occurring on Friday night for two 30-minute periods at 2am and 4am.
AirNav Ireland stated it had “temporarily restricted the flow of arriving and departing flights at Cork Airport to ensure safety was fully maintained.” The ongoing dispute centers on staffing levels, with the union seeking assurances that adequate resources will be available to prevent further disruptions, particularly as passenger numbers increase during the summer months.
