Department of Transport aim to have recommendation on Donegal flights in two weeks

The Department of Transport have said that they aim to have a recommendation for the Minister on the debacle of the new timetable for Donegal to Dublin flights within the next fortnight. 

Chairman Garry Martin and Managing Director Eilís Docherty of Donegal Airport met with Department of Transport Officials in Dublin to “further express our concerns over the revised timetable which takes effect from March, 29 2026 under the new PSO  (Public Service Obligation) contract on the Donegal-Dublin route.”

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Officials from Donegal Airport pressed the urgent case for the restoration of reliable same-day and midday medical access on the Donegal-to-Dublin PSO route, and for the aircraft to be housed overnight at Donegal Airport.

The new terms of the airline contract have sparked significant backlash, with the traditional midday service being removed. Instead, the schedule will shift to an early 6:30 am flight from Dublin and an 8:30pm return from Donegal. Donegal Cancer Flights & Services say they help over 500 patients.

The Department will engage with the carrier, Emerald Airlines (Aer Lingus Regional), and "anticipate concluding this process within the next two weeks, approximately, at which time they will be in a position to make a considered recommendation to the Minister, Darragh O’Brien."

“As this was the first time we had an opportunity to meet the Department Officials face-to-face, we reiterated our deep dissatisfaction on behalf of all of the service users, the abolition of the afternoon flights from and to Dublin and the decision not to overnight the aircraft in Donegal, with its downstream implications.

"We further referenced the success of the existing flight times as evidenced in the 2025 activity figures, and the very serious detrimental impact that any changes to these would have on service users,” they said. 

“We also shared with the Department our strong belief that the new flight times out of Dublin in the morning and back to Dublin at night offered little commercial rationale.

“The Department advised that they had no option but to accept the tender as submitted, given the procurement rules for that type of tender, and advised that they had not been in a position to engage with the airport during the tender process due to confidentiality requirements.

“The Department Officials confirmed that they are now engaging on an ongoing basis with the airline to discuss alternatives to the planned timetable, including reinstating the overnighting of the aircraft at Donegal Airport and the afternoon flight rotations.  The Department anticipate concluding this process within the next two weeks, approximately, at which time they will be in a position to make a considered recommendation to the Minister.

“The Board of Donegal Airport await the outcome of the engagement between the Department of Transport and the Airline, and are hopeful that a satisfactory resolution will be reached in the short term, which will facilitate the reinstatement of a timetable which has consistently met the needs of the airport users.

“The airport board would like to acknowledge the huge groundswell of support we have had since Mid-January when we all became aware of the proposed changes. The Board wishes to acknowledge the range of political, community organisation and general public support that has been so evident during this time. We want to express our sincere thanks to you all for continuing to highlight the importance of this service to so many users across Donegal. We will, with your support, continue to make the argument for the reinstatement of the services that the users need.”