Campaigner 'devastated' over Donegal-Dublin flight changes

There has been criticism of the Irish government's decision to proceed with changes to the Donegal–Dublin flight route, despite campaigners' concerns that it could impact cancer patients travelling for medical appointments.

A new Public Service Obligation (PSO) contract announced on Tuesday removes afternoon flights in favour of a new schedule, and says the aircraft will no longer be based overnight in Donegal.

Mary Coyle from the charity Donegal Cancer Flights and Services, which helps organise flights for cancer patients, said she and fellow campaigners are "devastated".

The Department for Transport said it will "closely monitor the performance of the new schedule" over the next three months.

In a statement, a Department of Transport spokesperson confirmed the government-funded Donegal–Dublin air service has been awarded following a competitive tender process.

"This new contract demonstrates the government's continued commitment to maintaining vital connectivity to the northwest," the spokesperson said.

They said the service will provide twice-daily return flights between Donegal and Dublin, with onward international connections.

"The early morning flight departing from Donegal and the evening return from Dublin, which is relied on by many, including critical care patients, to ensure a daily round trip, will continue to be facilitated," the spokesperson said.

Under the new schedule, starting 29 March 2026, a same-day return service from Dublin will be available, and an evening departure from Donegal will replace the afternoon flight.

Speaking to BBC News NI on Tuesday, Mary Coyle said she was "devastated" and "taken aback" by the department's decision to proceed with changes to the route, despite what she described as "widespread opposition" to removing the afternoon flights in favour of a new schedule.

She said she and other campaigners still intend to travel to Dublin on Wednesday morning to deliver a petition, which they said has received 15,000 signatures, voicing opposition to the changes to Minister Darragh O'Brien.

Previously, Kathleen Griffin, who was diagnosed with Ovarian cancer, told BBC News NI the removal of the afternoon flight could force cancer patients into costly overnight stays or exhausting alternative journeys if they could no longer access same-day flights due to the timings of medical appointments.

Speaking to BBC News NI on Tuesday, Coyle said the people most impacted by this decision did not get the chance to meet with the minister and put forward their case.

"We have had no chance at all to be involved in the process," Coyle said.

"We are not happy about this at all and it just is another example of Donegal, the forgotten county, being let down once again.

"The route wasn't broken, it was running well, and many people who relied on it for medical appointments were able to benefit from it, but I think what this really shows is a real lack of compassion".

She said the fact that many patients travelling from Donegal in the morning will be reliant on what she called a "ghost flight" with no passengers on board arriving from Dublin, which she believed "would not be a priority for departure from Dublin Airport".

Coyle said, despite the decision being already taken, they will go to Dublin on Wednesday and still voice their frustrations to department officials.

In a statement released by Donegal Airport, the airport said they were notified on Tuesday afternoon that the Department of Transport had executed "a new contract for the Donegal–Dublin PSO route."

Donegal Airport said it does not believe the new contract reflects "the spirit" of the original PSO.

"It does not maximise connectivity to the region," the statement added.

The airport also expressed serious concerns over the aircraft no longer staying overnight in Donegal, "which was the case for the preceding 21 years" and had given "confidence to time-critical users of the certainty of departure on the morning flight".

The board confirmed it is continuing to seek legal advice and expects to conclude its review in the coming days.

It said its priority remains providing services that meet the needs of passengers in Donegal and beyond.

The airport also thanked customers and the local community for what it described as strong support in recent days.

It added that once legal advice has been considered, the airport will decide on its next steps and communicate its position to both passengers and the Department of Transport.