See also
http://www.abtn.co.uk/Derry_Airport_closed
which publicises the fact that the non-compliance has been known to CAA for years; reading between the lines they finally lost patience. But why does it take years? Either an airport complies or it doesn't. If the required standards can safely be ignored for years then there's either something wrong with the standards, or something wrong with the regulator. The standards are ICAO's, so that leaves, er, the regulator
It's not the only case where on every annual inspection/audit the same old comments are made, the same excuses, followed by the same promises are made, and nothing happens. Operations continue blithely on, and everyone files the paperwork neatly.
Didn't you love the quote from the Airport Director:
"Airport chief executive Seamus Devine said they wanted to apologise to all of their customers.
"It's the last thing we wanted to happen and of course we accept a large part of the responsibilty," he said. "
"They" and "we", I guess, must refer to his management team, and the Council which owns and runs the place. But I wonder who has accepted the small part of the responsibility? The little people?
How's about
:
"I, and the Officers of the Council that employs me, accept ALL the responsibility, and we have therefore all resigned and waived our rights to a fat payoff and pension, recognising that we have put the million passengers we are boasting about at an unacceptable risk due to our incompetence."
And perhaps the role of the CAA, supine as always, should be looked at, too.