Ireland’s economy and the country’s whole supply chain could be impacted significantly if night flights at Dublin Airport were to be restricted, according to business group FTA Ireland.
“Night flights ensure that the economy has all the goods it needs, ready to use, at the start of every working day, from manufacturing components to medical supplies and perishable produce,” says Aidan Flynn, Chief Executive of FTA Ireland, which represents the logistics industry nationwide. “Air cargo is a critical part of the supply chain which ensures that time-sensitive goods are ready for use as and when needed.
“Without the overnight deliveries made by air, shops and offices, factories and hospitals will be left without the critical supplies that they and their customers need every day. And without those deliveries, much of the economy would grind to a halt, while waiting for new stock or components, which would have a significant impact on the country’s productivity and profitability.”
A recent report, The Economic Impact of Cargo Night Flying at Dublin Airport* by York Aviation, showed that night time flights carry around E19 billion worth of imports and exports every year, including 12% of Ireland’s total imports and 6% of its exports. Night flights are a catalyst to driving productivity in Ireland’s economy, which is estimated to generate over E1.1 billion in annual GDP and supports around 15,000 jobs across the air cargo sector, as well as at the airport itself. And as Flynn continues, moving goods in the belly hold of passenger flights also has a knock-on but hidden benefit for consumers:
“As well as ensuring that consumers and businesses have access to all the goods they need, the transportation of goods in the belly holds of passenger flights ensures that operators can keep the costs of air tickets down, since the freight is used to subsidise the cost for consumers. Both commercial and consumer flights are dependent on night time operations in order to support their business models and keep costs manageable for all concerned.”
The types of goods transported at night include critical manufacturing components, perishable produce, time sensitive medical or pharmaceutical products, financial or legal documents or other high value goods.
“Many of us do not appreciate the role that air freight, and night flights in particular, plays in keeping the economy moving and the country supplied with all the things we need to survive and flourish,. Night flying is a critical element of Ireland’s highly complex and interconnected supply chain, which ensures that our economy can function efficiently and makes Ireland a more attractive place to do business.”