Dublin airport lacks security scanners

DUBLIN Airport is operating with around half the number of security machines used in similar-sized airports around Europe.

The lack of such equipment is believed to be a major factor in the lengthy queues faced by passengers over the past week.

Air travellers have experienced major delays going through security checkpoints at boarding gates due to increased safety measures after a team of EU inspectors were able to bring a replica bomb and knives on board aircraft during a security audit last week.

According to the Dublin Airport Authority, it has just 11 security machines for passengers operating within the main building plus one machine for staff.

Although the airport is currently training 60 extra security personnel, it has no immediate plans to increase the number of security scanners.

In contrast, several other airports including Stockholm’s Arlanda, Düsseldorf and Brussels have over 20 machines each, despite dealing with similar passenger numbers.

Recent EU figures show that the three airports as well as Dublin all recorded passenger figures of 14-16 million in 2003. Dublin is the 16th busiest airport within the EU.

However, a survey by the Irish Examiner revealed that the three other airports have considerably more security checkpoints than Dublin.

A spokesperson for Düsseldorf Airport said it used 28 security machines, while it had plans to add on another three within the near future. She claimed passengers at Düsseldorf rarely experienced any type of delays due to problems at security checkpoints.

Stockholm’s Arlanda airport operates 20 machines, while Belgium’s Zaventem also has a similar number.

A spokesperson for the Dublin Airport Authority said the focus of its present plans to improve waiting times for boarding was the provision of additional security staff.

He pointed out that the present design of the terminal limited the ability of the airport to increase the number of security scanners.

“We are looking at every possible measure by which we can speed up people going through security gates but we are constrained by the physical layout of the terminal,” he said.