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Flight delays at Dublin airport Flight delays at Dublin airport
(about 2 hours later)
Dublin International Airport is operating at half its usual capacity after a problem with its radar system. There are long delays on flights at Dublin International Airport after an air traffic control system broke down earlier.
The airport is handling 12 departures and 12 arrivals an hour. Several flights had to be diverted to Belfast International and Aer Lingus and Ryanair have now cancelled all but a handful of flights.
Earlier, all flights in and out of the airport were stopped. Several of the flights have had to be diverted to Belfast International Airport. It is not yet known how long it will take to clear the backlog.
Aer Lingus has cancelled most of its flights this evening and Ryanair said customers were facing big delays. Passengers have been told to check flight details before setting out.
Ryanair spokesman Stephen McNamara said the airport should have had a contingency plan in place.
"The issues with radar equipment at Dublin have been known for some weeks and it is unacceptable that there is no contingency or back-up plan," he said.
"The IAA needs to explain to passenger why flights are being delayed today by up to 5 hours, with many more cancelled."
The Irish Aviation Authority took the decision to cancel flights after suffering chronic breakdowns of their radar screens.The Irish Aviation Authority took the decision to cancel flights after suffering chronic breakdowns of their radar screens.
The airport was shut down at about 1400 BST on Wednesday because air traffic controllers could not see the codes used to label incoming aircraft.The airport was shut down at about 1400 BST on Wednesday because air traffic controllers could not see the codes used to label incoming aircraft.
The decision has forced dozens of flights to be grounded, or diverted to other Irish airports.
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Reaction to the problem from passengers in Dublin and those diverted to Belfast International AirportReaction to the problem from passengers in Dublin and those diverted to Belfast International Airport
A Ryanair spokesman said the airport should have had a contingency plan in place.
"The issues with radar equipment at Dublin have been known for some weeks and it is unacceptable that there is no contingency or back up plan," he said.
"The IAA needs to explain to passenger why flights are being delayed today by up to 5 hours, with many more cancelled."
IAA spokeswoman Lilian Cassin said the fault was first reported at 1145 BST on Wednesday and it was fully functioning 10 minutes later, but the system failed a second time.IAA spokeswoman Lilian Cassin said the fault was first reported at 1145 BST on Wednesday and it was fully functioning 10 minutes later, but the system failed a second time.
"When the fault happened a second time at 1330 BST, we didn't have the confidence to continue," she said.
"Safety is our overriding concern and in the interest of safety we shut down the system from 1445 BST.
"We hope to have it back at 1500 BST but that will be reviewed."
Ms Cassin said air traffic controllers have experienced similar problems over the last four to five weeks, but that Wednesday's malfunction was the longest period the code system had failed.Ms Cassin said air traffic controllers have experienced similar problems over the last four to five weeks, but that Wednesday's malfunction was the longest period the code system had failed.
She revealed that IAA engineers were working on site, alongside a team from Thales - the French company which supplied the system - and Hewlett-Packard.She revealed that IAA engineers were working on site, alongside a team from Thales - the French company which supplied the system - and Hewlett-Packard.
"Engineers haven't been able to exactly pinpoint what the problem is," she added."Engineers haven't been able to exactly pinpoint what the problem is," she added.
"We want to be satisfied ourselves before we go back to operating.""We want to be satisfied ourselves before we go back to operating."
Have you been delayed at Dublin airport? Were you diverted because of the problems at Dublin? Send us your comments using the form below:Have you been delayed at Dublin airport? Were you diverted because of the problems at Dublin? Send us your comments using the form below:
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