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THE OPERATOR OF Dublin Airport has said a proposal by An Bord Pleanála to lift restrictions on night-time flights contains “some significant contradictions”.
This restriction had been imposed under the original grant of planning permission for the new runway, which opened in 2022.
An Bord Plenála rejected an appeal against the council’s decision by a large number of individuals, the St Margaret’s and The Ward Residents’ Group, as well as the Friends of the Irish Environment.
The proposal will allow for flights to take off and land on the North Runway for an additional two hours – from 11pm to midnight and between 6am and 7am.
However, An Bord Pleanála also proposed a condition that there should be a limit of 13,000 flights between 11pm and 6.59am per annum, with a cap of 9,100 during the summer period to allow for extra flights during the busy holiday season.
This would represent a significant decrease from the 36,000 night-time hour flights in 2023.
In a statement today, DAA said it had reviewed the draft decision and that there “appear to be some significant contradictions and DAA considers this draft decision does not reflect what was intended from this process”.
“As it stands, this decision would be a backward step that will significantly impact aviation and passenger numbers at Dublin Airport,” added the DAA spokesperson.
The spokesperson added that the “noise quota was proposed to replace the previous blunt movement cap imposed by the 2007 planning condition”.
“However, it appears from the draft decision that An Bord Pleanála has proposed a new noise quota but also imposed an overall restriction on the number of night flights that would be permitted, which would be significantly lower than the 2007 planning condition,” said DAA.
DAA said this would reduce the nighttime flights by over 60% and cause “significant implications for passengers and airlines, as well as freight operations.”
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A passenger cap, now night time restrictions. Have we secretly built an underground tunnel to mainland Europe that we haven’t been told about. It would explain the craziness of restrictions at our main airport on our ISLAND.
@Tom tom: commercial suicide
Plenty of European and airports much bigger than Dublin have ZERO night flights. In 2023 Frankfurt handled 59 million passengers with ZERO night flights. The DAA should get their business done during the day and leave people in peace at night.
@John Harron: is 5am to 7am not considered nighttime?!?!…… They have plenty of flights between then
@another one? what’s going on is the semi state sec: When have you heard anyone say “I woke up at 5 in the nighttime”?
@John Harron: No, personally I’d say anything after midnight is morning in day to day speak…… But, night time is defined as 11pm to 7am for air traffic. You’ll see it referenced in planning and business cases….. What’s your definition for it in your original comment regarding Frankfurt? Do you consider night time to be just 8 pm to midnight going by your second comment? Frankfurt has a lot of flights between 8pm and midnight!
@John Harron: Yes, but you have to remember that in Ireland and the UK we lose and hour due to time zone differences when travelling into Europe. So your 7am flight is an 8am equivalent in Europe. It’s the reason we need earlier flights than most cities. We are also the furthest west so our flight times to these destinations are longer.
@Tom tom: Frankfurts departures start at around 5 am local time (GMT +2). Dublins start at around 6 am local (GMT +1)….. Effectively at the same time but relatively an hour earlier. It’s because of local schedules and regulations
@another one? what’s going on is the semi state sec: You have it backwards. 7am in Frankfurt is the equivalent of 6am in Dublin. In order to get flights operating in tandem, Dublin Airport needs to commence at 6am
@Paul Ennis: true, was a looooong day yesterday, brain fried! To get in tandem Dublin need to start their departures at 4 am then….. So that point in my previous comment is irrelevant. The rest is true about the times that they start at. Thanks!
Banning vapes and handing out rubber johnnies is all Donnelly is good for
@Fintan Pox: rubber Johnnie- long time since I heard that one :)
@Fintan Pox: Donnelly is the best of what Fianna Fail have to offer.
@Oh Mammy: it’s a rubber Johanthan if your from the southside
Fire the head of an bord pleanala, they are clearly incompetent
Is there a time for just having no noise. Wouldn’t that be nice.
Why do we have such m0rons in high profile posts in this country? It is scandalous that they can make decisions like this one.
@DJ D: Also Dublin Airport is on the current site since 1917 so I doubt anyone is still alive from that period. If you live near the airport that is a choice but passengers should not be held to ransom. I’m sick of people constantly whining about Dublin Airport. BTW before anyone starts spouting nonsense I actually live near the airport. I have gotten so used to aircraft flying over me that I just don’t notice it any longer. Dublin Airport is a national asset. If you don’t like the noise I suggest you move
@DJ D: I too live near the airport and have no issue, but in fairness to some, the southern runway has only been in use since 1989 and the new northern runway opened recently so there are plenty of houses that were built before they existed and weren’t overflown before they opened.
@DJ D: number of flights has increased exponentially over the years. How are you going to move anywhere if your property price collapses due to 24/7 flights?
Say what you want about this plan,it will never take off
@Larry Betts: It’s an ‘air brained idea, plane and simple.
13,000 flights per year between 23:00 and 6:00. That is 250 a week, or over 30 every night.
Think ot the people living nearby.
@Gerry McAuley: it’s one take off every 20mins.
A town grew up along an airport and there are issues ,keep voting ffg and guess what
Don’t bother with night flights, get the red eye much better.
An Bord Pleanála decision is pointless. The DAA will just ignore it as they do with other planning conditions imposed on them; the DAA is just another semi-state company, like RTE who also thinks they are above the law.
have your say