Dublin Airport Charter Flight Costs €122k to Remove 33 Criminals to Eastern Europe.

A dedicated Dublin Airport charter flight recently completed a significant criminal history removal operation.

The aircraft removed 33 Polish and Lithuanian nationals from Ireland on Sunday. This operation was carried out on grounds of criminality, the Minister for Justice and Migration confirmed. The total cost for the aircraft alone was €122,000. The flight departed Dublin Airport at 12:30pm. It traveled first to Warsaw, Poland, then continued to Vilnius, Lithuania.

Operational Logistics and Security

The 33 individuals included 31 males and two females. Their ages ranged from their early 20s to early 60s. All had received jail sentences for various criminal offences. These offenses ranged from drug crimes to sexual assault.

Removal orders were enforced under the EU free movement directive. This directive allows restrictions if a person is a genuine threat. The individuals are now banned from re-entering Ireland for 10 years.

This high-security operation required extensive staffing. The returnees were accompanied by Gardaí and medical staff. Two interpreters and a human rights observer were also on board. Such complex aviation security logistics demand close coordination. This includes cooperation with the Irish Prison Service and An Garda Síochána.

Financial and Regulatory Context

Chartering an aircraft for removals is a costly option. The €122,000 charter cost is significant. However, it allows for the simultaneous removal of large groups. This is often more efficient than using commercial flights for high-risk individuals.

• The per-person aircraft cost for this flight was approximately €3,697.
• This is lower than the reported 2025 average of €7,494 per deportee on charter flights.

Ireland has increased its use of removal operations. In 2025, 56 people were removed under the European Union removal orders directive. This included 26 people on commercial airlines. Another 23 were removed on a charter operation to Romania. The total state spend on all deportation flights in 2025 exceeded €2.8 million.

Minister Jim O’Callaghan stated that freedom of movement is a core EU right. He stressed that consequences must follow if laws are not upheld. Enforcing removal orders protects the people of Ireland. The majority of Polish and Lithuanian nationals respect Irish laws. The EU Free Movement Directive (Directive 2004/38/EC) governs these actions.

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