The long-awaited second runway at Dublin Airport will officially open today.
The first flight will take off at around lunchtime, six years after construction started. Costing €320 million, the new runway is 3.1 kilometres long.
"Dublin Airport crew, prepare for take-off..."
Our team is on site today to complete final checks and inspections ahead of tomorrow's North Runway launch.
Less than 24 hours to go until the first departure takes place from our new runway. 🛫 pic.twitter.com/IPrbUVhsEG
— Dublin Airport (@DublinAirport) August 23, 2022
Graeme McQueen, spokesperson for daa, says it's a historic day for Irish aviation;
"Today sees the opening of the runway, the inaugural flight will take place around lunchtime and then over the coming days and weeks the operation will ramp up on the new North Runway. We become the first airport in Ireland to have two runways running concurrently."
The original planning permission curtailed flights between 11 pm and 7 am but the daa successfully argued for the runway to be used between 6 am and midnight.
One of the conditions is local residents will be eligible for a €20,000 insulation grant to block out noisy planes. But they say it won't go far enough and more homes should be included.
You can watch the first flight taking off from the new runway here. It's due to depart between 11.30 and 12.30 pm.
