Ryanair calls for contingency plan on airports
Ryanair has called on Aer Rianta to produce a contingency plan to ensure that Dublin Airport remains open at all times during future industrial action.
Ryanair's Head of Communications, Paul Fitzsimmons, said: "Dublin Airport was threatened with closure today for the third time in nine months because approximately six to ten fire personnel were refusing to provide necessary fire cover."
The manager of Dublin Airport, Mr Bob Hilliard said that neither Dublin Fire Brigade nor Army personnel were sufficiently trained to provide emergency fire cover at Dublin Airport.
Fitzsimmons said: "We now call on Aer Rianta to ensure that they immediately train Dublin Fire Brigade and Army personnel to provide the necessary emergency fire cover fire at Dublin Airport in the event of any future industrial action, and call on the Department of Transport to make sure this happens, so that we can avoid the country being held to ransom yet again.
"It is unacceptable that the Board of Aer Rianta continually fail to keep the runways open at Dublin Airport - an essential national service - during periods of industrial dispute."
