It’s easier to get into Cork Airport that it is to get out…

Flying isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Many people have a fear of being sealed in a tin can flying at thirty thousand feet at speeds of several hundred miles per hour. That’s completely understandable and even if they conquer their fear of flying, there are other hazards to contend with.

The changing air pressure and oxygen levels in an aeroplane at altitude can do things to the body that won’t agree with everyone. Ringing in the ears, dehydration, jet lag, and motion sickness are common issues. Being in a confined space with others can expose you to germs from those around you who might be under the weather.

A greater risk comes from deep vein thrombosis (DVT) from sitting in the one place for too long. It’s described by the HSE as a blood clot in a vein, usually the leg but can occur in the veins of the calf, thigh or pelvis and can be dangerous. They can break loose, travel through your bloodstream and get stuck in your lungs.

These things are largely preventable though. Wearing a face mask and using hand sanitiser will help to protect against germs. Drinking water will prevent dehydration while simply sucking on a sweet can often sort the problem with the ringing ears. Wearing flight socks and keeping the legs moving helps to combat DVT. So, not huge issues after all.

In fact, there is nothing to fear about flying according to the experts who tell us it is still one of the safest modes of transport. According to simpleflying.com, every year, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) releases its global safety report. Its findings showed that, in 2022, the aviation industry saw a 9.8% decrease in accidents compared to 2020.

Interestingly, these numbers have fallen despite an 11% increase in total scheduled flights. The ICAO attributes the improvements in safety to the safety commitments shared across the industry. In fact, the trend across many years of aviation is that, today, it is safer than ever to fly.

There are numerous ingredients that go together to make air travel the safe environment it is now. Flight crew, air traffic controllers and dispatchers all work together to ensure a safe flight so you can be confident you’re flying with highly trained, certified individuals.

That’s good to know and very reassuring, but how safe are we in the airport itself before we even board the plane? Travelling by air isn’t without its difficulties and passengers can often find themselves hanging around departure areas for longer than they anticipated. Flights can be delayed for a variety of reasons so it’s not unusual to have large numbers congregating in these spaces.

I found myself wondering recently about how well airports are prepared for the evacuation of passengers from the terminal building in the event of a catastrophic event. An event that would necessitate their speedy and safe removal from the area. I have a reason for asking this.

I was originally meant to travel to Cyprus on 2nd September but cancelled the flights after my wife broke her collarbone. As soon as she improved, I rebooked for September 27^th. Unfortunately for me, that was the same date Storm Agnes decided to visit.

I arrived in Cork Airport in plenty of time for my 4.50pm Ryanair flight to London Gatwick and I was delighted to see that the flight was still on schedule. The storm was petering out by then, so it all looked very promising, and we were called for boarding on time. I boarded the plane, put my knapsack in the overhead locker and took my seat. Happy days.

However, just as I was searching for the buckle of my seat belt, the captain made an announcement. He told us he had some bad news. Unfortunately, this plane would not now be going to London after all, so we were asked to disembark. There was no explanation given. Bummer.

We were all herded back the way we came to the departure lounge, but we couldn’t access the terminal building. Passengers who arrived at the building first were coming back down the stairs as the rest of us were trying to go up because there was no way out up there. Confusion reigned and the poor lady with the high vis jacket and the walkie talkie didn’t seem to be any wiser than the rest of us.

Eventually we were guided through a different route, back to the departure gate. A large queue of passengers had formed where we had been earlier, and they were preparing to board our flight. We watched jealously as they took our plane and our seats and headed for Lanzarote.

In the meantime, more flights were being cancelled and delayed. Some passengers were collected by bus and transferred to Shannon, some gave up and went home and others held tough hoping for better news. There was a lot of confusion and there didn’t seem to be any figure of authority to provide accurate information.

My flight was delayed a few more times and it got to the stage where I was going to miss my connecting flight in Gatwick, so I threw in the towel and called my son to come and collect me. To get out of the airport, a few of us went back through duty free and returned to the security area, but the security personnel weren’t too sure what to do with us.

They eventually allowed us out but now we were in the lanes outside security, walking against the passengers heading in the opposite direction. It was far from ideal. Progress was slow and that got me wondering how a large volume of passengers would be evacuated from that part of the terminal if the need arose? Hopefully there’s a plan.