Several flights attempting to land today during Storm Eowyn’s winds were buffeted about, with passengers landing in Cork Airport from Gran Canaria sharing their experiences
Terrified passengers offered quiet prayers when their plane came into land in Storm Eowyn’s massive winds.
Storm Éowyn continues to wreak chaos after sweeping across the UK and Ireland today, killing two people so far. In Irvine, Scotland, a 49-year-old man was killed by “falling roof tiles” and another man died when a tree fell on his car in Co Donegal, Ireland.
Wind speeds reached 114mph in Galway, Ireland, at 5am this morning – provisionally the strongest winds ever recorded in the country. The strong gusts have also proved tricky for pilots flying in the conditions.
Passenger Lorraine Carney was aboard a Ryanair flight arriving into Cork Airport from Gran Canaria – an experience she describes as “absolutely terrifying” for her and others. She said on RTE ’s Today with Claire Byrne there were loud screams from passengers at one point – but then everyone went really quiet – with some offering prayers.
She added: “The plane was shaking from side to side. You could hear the rain battering against the windows and it was like rain I’ve never heard before. I don’t know how he landed the plane because it was literally shaking from side to side.”
Earlier today a flight had to abort landing at Manchester Airport after the area was battered by 60mph winds this morning. Ryanair flight RK3227 from Oslo was due to touch down at 11.05am, but windy conditions caused by Storm Éowyn meant the aircraft was forced back into the air.
Maps from FlightRadar show the aircraft looping around the airport before finally landing at around 11.52am. An airport spokesperson said that although there are high winds , these are currently directed along the length of the runway, which was designed in the direction of the prevailing winds. This means that although the wind is strong, it is not currently as disruptive as a crosswind.
The spokesperson said: “Although we are not experiencing disruption to our operation as a result of Storm Éowyn, some airlines have cancelled a small number of flights to destinations more significantly affected.
“Passengers due to fly from Manchester Airport today should make sure they regularly check the status of their flights with their airlines. Due to the potential for disruption on the wider transport network, we also advise passengers to check for disruption on their routes to the airport before they leave the house and to allow extra time for their journeys. Our teams – including our dedicated resilience team and our customer service colleagues – are on hand, as always, to help passengers in the event of any disruption.”
