Airport braced for Bank Holiday rush

More than 330,000 passengers are expected to travel through Dublin Airport over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend with many seeking sea and sun, it emerged today.

Around 2,000 flights will arrive and depart between Friday and Monday, a 9% increase over the same period last year.

These include 120 charters for holiday-makers going to the sun, with Las Palmas, Lanzarote, Faro and mainland Spain being the most popular destinations.

Airport staff are advising all travellers to arrive at check-in at least 90 minutes before their flight departure time and to ensure to follow all security regulations regarding baggage and liquids.

"Once again passengers are reminded to remove all sharp objects from hand luggage," said an airport spokeswoman.

"These objects should be packed into checked in luggage, in addition, all laptop computers must be removed from their outer casing for security screening.

"Dublin Airport will have customer care teams on duty this bank holiday weekend."

Dublin Airport Authority also unveiled its newest check-in area, which will handle up to four million passengers a year and ease congestion considerably on the departures floor.

Check-in Area 14, which has cost €15m to build, will be used solely by Aer Lingus.

"We believe we have created an impressive and vibrant new check-in facility," said Robert Hilliard, of DAA.

"The delivery of Area 14 is the first of a number of significant projects that will radically change the passenger experience at Dublin Airport over the next three years."

Subject to planning, the airport's second passenger terminal, T2, will begin construction this summer for delivery before the end of 2009.