asked the Minister for Transport and Power if his attention has been drawn to reports of an air miss by an Aer Lingus Boeing 737; and what steps he proposes to take so as to ensure that this does not happen in the future.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Air Miss Incident.
102.
This incident occured in British airspace and is, therefore, being investigated by the appropriate British authority. I am advised that a report will be available in the very near future.
Is it not a fact that Aer Lingus have one of the highest safety records in the world and that this is only an isolated incident?
It has nothing to do with Aer Lingus. I am glad the Deputy raised this because the Aer Lingus aircraft en route from Dublin to Manchester was on a scheduled route and fully covered in that respect. The plane that caused the difficulty was a private aircraft which broke in on the space of the scheduled aircraft route. Air traffic control people all over the world must now consider in greater detail the whole question of controlling both private and military aircraft in this respect. As far as scheduled aircraft are concerned, they are completely in the right; but there is not the same control or responsibility in regard to the other type of planes. Aer Lingus were completely in the right. They were in their proper air corridor on this occasion. The trouble apparently was caused by a private business aircraft.