What to expect when travelling from Dublin Airport as new advice issued
Over the Easter weekend, around 200,000 passengers departed from Dublin Airport between Good Friday and Easter Monday. Photo: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie.
New advice has been issued for those travelling out of Dublin Airport in the coming weeks in order to help alleviate pressure on passenger security.
It comes as Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) has ruled out a suggestion by the Limerick chamber of Commerce that certain flights could be moved to regional airports such as Shannon to assist with shortages in security staffing.
The new advice for passengers follows what the DAA described as the "consistent delivery of improved queuing times" at security since the end of March and including the Easter period.
Over the Easter weekend, around 200,000 passengers departed from Dublin Airport between Good Friday and Easter Monday which was the highest number seen over a consecutive four-day period since Christmas 2019.
Cork Airport had also been anticipating 60,000 passengers in total over the Easter period.
Passengers are now being asked to arrive at Dublin Airport two and a half hours before their flight is due to depart if they are on a short-haul flight, such as to the UK and Europe.
The recommendation for long-haul passengers is up to three and a half hours while passengers flying on short-haul flights taking off after 8:30am are advised not to arrive at the airport any earlier than 6am.
The aim of this is to help ease the pressure on the security screening area and to allow those who have departing flights during the busy first wave of departing flights to move through the airport.
This includes flights departing before 8:30am each morning.
Previously, the advice was to arrive at the airport up to three and a half hours before their flight, regardless of whether they are flying short haul or long haul.
Passengers are also asked to check with their airline in advance of travelling to the airport regarding when check-in and bag drop-off opens and to plan their arrival at the airport based on this.
Where possible, they should also ensure to check in for their flight online.
To help get passengers through security as efficiently as possible, security in Terminal 1 remains open on a 24/7 basis, while security in Terminal 2 is open from 4am each morning.
Speaking to , DAA spokesman Graeme McQueen said Dublin airport has seen “great progress” in recent weeks, with queue times no longer than forty minutes over the Easter Break.
Mr McQueen believes they are making strides in relation to cutting queuing times at the airport.
“We got people through really well with queue times under 30 or 40 minutes all weekend so that was really good and we have confidence now to cut those times and just allow people to arrive that little bit later for their flight.”
On Tuesday, Limerick Chamber CEO Dee Ryan called for flights to be moved away from Dublin to regional airports.
She told Newstalk’s that Government should compel DAA to transfer flights to Shannon, Cork, Knock and Kerry airports in a bid to cut waiting times.
Mr McQueen said that if it was as easy as just picking up flights and taking them to the regional airports they would have implemented that plan.
“The fact is Dublin airport doesn’t compete with Shannon for flights; we compete with the big cities in Europe - your Barcelona’s, your Amsterdam’s - and that will remain the case.
“Ultimately, the solution to solving our issues in Dublin Airport is what we are doing. It’s hiring more staff and improving efficiencies throughout the airport and that is what we are focused on doing.”
He added that the DAA is currently in the process of hiring three hundred new security screeners.
“Around 200 of those are being taken forward to the next stage so, as they come on board over May and June, we’re going to see a big difference in the airport."
