Dublin Airport Boss: ‘We Just Weren’t Expecting All Those People And Planes To Turn Up’

Minister of State for International Transport Hildegarde Naughton met Dublin Airport operator DAA this morning to seek clarity on the situation at the airport after over a thousand passengers missed scheduled flights yesterday due to lengthy queues.

Dublin Airport Authority chief executive Philip Dalton said yesterday that it’s not all their fault and that people who missed their flights must share the blame.

‘How can we be expected to know when all these people and planes are going to turn up?” he said. “We don’t have a crystal ball. Maybe if they didn’t all book their holidays for the same day this wouldn’t happen. Did you ever think about that?”

We put it to Mr Dalton that if you have the internet you don’t need a crystal ball as people tend to book their flights online and well in advance of their flight dates.

“I’m not saying we shouldn’t take some of the blame but I’m also not saying passengers shouldn’t take all of the blame. Or some of the blame. Actually I have no idea what the hell I’m saying.”

Green Party leader and Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said the airport chaos was not necessarily a bad thing.

“Well obviously the less people flying, the better for our environment so those people who missed their flights should actually be happy and not sad or angry. Now go and book yourself a nice holiday in Ireland. The price of a hotel room for one night may cost more than a week in Spain but you won’t be adding to the global carbon emissions and at the end of the day that’s all people really care about. It is, isn’t it?”