Good morning - and happy Christmas one and all!
Just a few comments on the snow debate:
"Nothing happens until a closure actually takes place. There is no continual clearance at Dublin when snow is falling. The trucks don't come out until all operations stop. Certain sections of taxiway could be closed and cleared while the runway remains open.
Partial runway clearance can still take place while snow is still falling. This seems to be lost on those giving the clearance trucks the "go".
Small scale runway shutdowns for 15 minutes per hour should be enough to maintain continual operations, with trucks ready to roll immediately if the situation dictates.
This does not happen."
So, do you want to see snowploughs in action while the runway is still open - and aircraft in the hold above, waiting to land? Surely it makes sense to let as many aircraft land -and then start clearing the runway?
Also, can you be certain that this is the DAA's own practice, or one mandated by the IAA?
I was one of the lucky ones yesterday and managed to get in at about 10.10 on the EI 203 from MAN and let me say that EI treated pax very well indeed. The conditions at the airport were severe and we were kept holding on a taxiway for about half an hour before a parking stand was available.
I think the big question should be put to US Airways, which kept over 200 pax on its flight 723 ... for seven hours, and then cancelled!