Passengers flying to and from Shannon Airport are likely to face delays tonight as a result of unofficial action by air traffic controllers.
The Irish Aviation Authority has confirmed there will be no air traffic controllers on duty at the control tower in Shannon this evening between 7pm and 9pm.
No planes will be able to take off or land during this time.
Air traffic controllers are in a long-running dispute with the Irish Aviation Authority over staffing levels and overtime.
Four flights are scheduled to depart between 7pm and 9pm this evening: Ryanair flights to Manchester, Stansted and Birmingham, as well as an Air France flight to Paris. Three flights due to arrive from Paris, Prestwick and Stansted will also be affected.
Passengers are being advised by Shannon Airport management to contact their airlines.
Ryanair is advising passengers to check in as normal this evening.
A company spokesperson said Ryanair expects its three flights from Shannon will be delayed by an hour.
Similar action by air traffic controllers at Dublin airport on 25 Janaury resulted in up to 32 flights being delayed.
The Irish Aviation Authority has appealed to the controllers to desist from unofficial action, which can cause great inconvenience to airlines and the travelling public. The Authority has asked air traffic controllers to adhere to the process agreed at the Labour Relations Commission.
'This is the third time in a little over two weeks that IMPACT has given an assurance that their members would return to normal working and it is also the third time that air traffic controllers have reneged on this commitment,' IAA said in a statement.
The IAA says an agreement had been reached in the dispute, which was mediated by the Labour Relations Commission. The agreement involved a process and time schedule to deal with grievances by air traffic controllers.
The IAA has accused the air traffic controllers of violating the agreement with their unofficial strike action tonight.
Ryanair has called on the Irish Aviation Authority to ensure there are adequate contingency plans and to try to ensure this does not happen again.
