Three Aer Lingus flights coming in and out Dublin Airport have been canceled today as the airline struggles with staff shortages due to Covid-19.
The departing flights that have been canceled are the EI104 to New York JFK and the EI343 to Zurich.
The return flight from Zurich, the EI342, has also been cancelled.
In addition to flight cancellations and long queues, many passengers report lost luggage at Dublin Airport.
A spokesman for the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) said it is aware of problems some arriving passengers face when returning luggage, but that is being arranged by the airlines.
“We sympathize with those affected and regret that these issues affect their passenger experience.
“We are working closely with both the airlines and their ground handling companies on these issues, which stem from the significant hiring challenges faced by all companies currently operating in the airline industry.”
Armed forces have been on standby at the airport since yesterday and will continue to do so for the next six weeks ahead of the busy summer period.
Armed forces personnel will only be deployed at the airport if more than 20 percent of security personnel are absent due to Covid-19.
This is because regional airports such as Knock and Shannon are experiencing increasing passenger numbers as a result of the ongoing travel chaos at Dublin Airport.
A Shannon Airport spokesman said many passengers are choosing to fly from a regional airport for the first time.
“Since the start of our summer schedule at the end of March, we have seen a noticeable increase in traffic, with our Ryanair, Aer Lingus and United services performing exceptionally well,” the spokesperson said.
“Undoubtedly, some of that growth can be attributed to new customers trying the Shannon Airport experience for the first time. We are committed to making our airport experience easy for our passengers.”