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Night flight ban would hurt Ireland’s economy, warns FTAI

[ September 13, 2024   //   ]

Ireland’s economy and supply chain could be seriously affected if night flights at Dublin Airport are restricted, warns FTA Ireland (FTAI).

Chief executive Aidan Flynn, said that without overnight deliveries by air, shops and offices, factories and hospitals could be left without critical supplies  and that much of the economy would grind to a halt, while waiting for new stock or components.

He explained: “Night flights ensure that the economy has all the goods it needs, ready to use, at the start of every working day, from manufacturing components to medical supplies and perishable produce.”

FTAI cites a recent report, The Economic Impact of Cargo Night  Flying at Dublin Airport* by York Aviation, which showed that night time flights carry around €19 billion worth of imports and exports every year, including 12% of Ireland’s total imports and 6% of its exports. They are a catalyst for productivity in Ireland’s economy, which is estimated to generate over €1.1 billion in annual GDP and supports around 15,000 jobs across the air cargo sector, as well as at the airport itself.

Flynn added that  moving goods in the belly hold of passenger flights also has a knock-on but hidden benefit for consumers: “As well as ensuring that consumers and businesses have access to all the goods they need, the transportation of goods in the belly holds of passenger flights ensures that operators can keep the costs of air tickets down, since the freight is used to subsidise the cost for consumers. Both commercial and consumer flights are dependent on night time operations in order to support their business models and keep costs manageable for all concerned.”

Goods transported at night include critical manufacturing components, perishable produce, time sensitive medical or pharmaceutical products and financial or legal documents.

Flynn said: “Many of us do not appreciate the role that air freight, and night flights in particular, plays in keeping the economy moving and the country supplied with all the things we need to survive and flourish,. Night flying is a critical element of Ireland’s highly complex and interconnected supply chain, which ensures that our economy can function efficiently and makes Ireland a more attractive place to do business.”

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