Icy weather conditions at Dublin airport yesterday morning resulted in major delays to Aer Lingus flights throughout the day following the breakdown of one of the airline's de-icer machines.
A total of 38 Aer Lingus flights were badly disrupted and resulted in delays of between 20 minutes and three hours on flights to the UK and Europe.
An Aer Lingus spokesman said that the schedule was back on track by mid-afternoon, but that the delays had a knock-on effect as flights that were delayed on their outward journey in the morning were subsequently delayed on their return.
As of yesterday evening, some flights were still subject to delays of up to 90 minutes.
The problem arose when one of the airline's de-icer machines broke down at 5am yesterday. The de-icing machines had been employed during the night at Dublin airport, where temperatures had dropped to minus three degrees.
Dublin airport said they would have a snow and ice plan in action today and that snow crews with snow ploughs are on standby. They were due to start work at 3.30am this morning to remove any snow from the airfield.
Air temperatures in the midlands and parts of Ulster dropped to minus six degrees in some parts of the country in the early hours of yesterday morning.
Meanwhile, snow is set to cause widespread travel problems throughout Britain this morning. Heathrow airport has warned that the snow forecast over the next 48 hours means that flights may be subject to delay or cancellations.
Irish travellers planning to use Heathrow should check with their airline before departing for the airport.
The lateness and loss of work hours caused by just one day of disrupted transport can cost the economy up to £400 million, according to the British Chambers of Commerce.
The British Met Office issued a severe weather warning yesterday that snow would fall in southwest England and Wales last night before spreading across the midlands, London, southeast England and East Anglia today.
Forecasters predicted up to 15 centimetres of snow could fall over parts of the midlands, south and mid-Wales and Northern Ireland.
London and southern England are also expected to see up to 5 centimetres of snow around tomorrow morning's rush-hour.