Fears flight route changes could affect cancer patients

A Donegal woman who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer has expressed concern over potential changes to a flight route that she and other cancer patients rely on to access vital medical treatment in Dublin.

The twice-daily Donegal–Dublin flight is funded under a public service obligation (PSO), a government-subsidy for a service that would not otherwise be commercially viable.

The PSO contract is due for renewal on 25 February and there are growing fears proposed timetable changes could see the afternoon return flight cut.

Kathleen Griffin warned the changes could force cancer patients into costly overnight stays or exhausting alternative journeys if they could no longer access same-day flights.

The route has operated since 2004, with an early morning departure to Dublin and an afternoon service returning to the west Donegal airport later that same day.

Emerald Airlines, which is a regional service operated by Irish carrier Aer Lingus, will operate the PSO route until February 25, with a new procurement process underway for a new provider.

Mary Coyle, who is from the charity Donegal Cancer Flights & Services, which helps organise the flights for cancer patients, said the proposed draft flight schedule with no afternoon return flight could force patients to pay higher amounts for accommodation if same-day medical travel was no longer possible.

Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle's Mark Patterson Show, Coyle said the charity had more than 500 clients, many of whom relied on the flight service to access specialised medical treatments not available in Donegal or surrounding areas.

"It's not just cancer patients we cater for, but there are also patients going for kidney transplants, and we also have children with life-long or life-limiting conditions," she said.

She added that the charity was unable to book any flights past 25 February due to the uncertainty surrounding the flight route schedule.

Coyle said the charity worked closely with oncology departments in hospitals to coordinate appointments, ensuring people from Donegal could get earlier slots in the day and return home in time for their flights.

"We have a car and a bus, but we already use those for transporting patients to Galway, Roscommon, Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry, Ballykelly, and Letterkenny, so that service is already stretched as we are a voluntary service with limited funding," she continued.

"These flights are a lifeline for patients going through enough, and financially stretched as they are."

Kathleen Griffin said she had travelled to Dublin by air six times using the Donegal flight service.

"I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer three years ago and had chemotherapy, and now it's all follow-ups to make sure that it doesn't return," she said.

"I'm nearly finished with my treatment, but I'm still waiting on appointments and have another one coming up in Dublin as well."

She said transport options were already limited.

"The first time I had to go to Dublin, I just rang my doctor in Letterkenny and said I wouldn't be able to travel by car or bus, and that's when I was told about the Donegal cancer flights service," she said.

"From leaving my house to being in the hospital in Dublin takes about an hour and a half, maybe two hours with the flight.

"If I had to drive, it would take at least six hours and there's no way I could have done that in one go because of the constant pain I was in.

"Nobody really understands until they're in the situation. When you're unwell, the last thing you want to think about is travel."

The Department for Transport in the Republic of Ireland has been approached for comment.