Two Planes Diverted Due To Drone Sighting At Dublin Airport

On a busy day at Dublin Airport, two flights were forced to divert to Belfast after a drone sighting near the airfield.

An Aer Lingus flight inbound from Frankfurt and a Ryanair flight from Birmingham had to alter their paths due to the incident. The drone was spotted just after 12 pm, on Friday, August 4, which led to flight operations being temporarily suspended for approximately ten minutes, affecting a few other aircraft that had to hold briefly, writes Dublin Live.

The Dublin Airport Authority (daa) confirmed the drone activity and reminded the public that flying drones near the airport is illegal. A daa spokesman said, ‘Flight operations at Dublin Airport were suspended for around 10 minutes just after 12 noon on Friday following the confirmed sighting of a drone in the vicinity of the airfield.

‘This led to two flights – one Aer Lingus flight from Frankfurt and one Ryanair flight from Birmingham – being diverted to Belfast. A number of other aircraft were required to hold for a very short period.’

This incident comes at a time when Dublin Airport has been experiencing high passenger traffic, with the August Bank Holiday weekend in full flow. In July, the airport recorded its busiest day ever, with over 120,000 passengers passing through its doors on Sunday, July 30.

Despite the inconvenience caused by the drone sighting, it serves as a crucial reminder of the potential dangers posed by unauthorised drone flights near airports. The daa spokesman emphasised that ‘the public are reminded that it is illegal to fly a drone without permission within 5km of Dublin Airport.’

The use of drones has become increasingly popular for various purposes, but it is essential to be aware of the restrictions and regulations in place to ensure the safety of air travel and those on the ground.

One notable incident occurred in December 2018, when drone sightings near Gatwick Airport in London led to a major disruption of flights for several days, which affected thousands of passengers.