A Very Serene Dublin Airport

Wishbone Ash

For those of you who are accustomed to the hustle and bustle of Dublin Airport, here's a couple of very pics of peacefulness taken Christmas Eve cica 11pm.

The main departures level - note the blank departures information board.



And an almost deserted Area 14.

Random

Area 14 always seems empty when I'm there.

amacachi

Nice

AlekSmart

Rumour has it the DFSA has taken a lease on Area 14.......shortly to be redesignated Hatch 14

Zoney

Area 14 was a dream to use when I was there recently. Almost enough to make up for having to through all the hassle of getting to Dublin and the airport, rather than just fly from Shannon. A pity the rest of the airport isn't of the same style. Dublin Airport as a whole is still fairly miserable. Shannon may be shabby and pokey - but it's only a regional airport, nothing that odd, and it does the job pretty well. Dublin on the other hand is supposed to be a major airport, but it looks a joke compared to other airports one might be arriving from. It's quite depressing collecting baggage in particular. Yay, back in Ireland...

Victor

Some snap shots of traffic generally.

Victor

Warning! M50 congested at Ballymun.

Wishbone Ash

I had to begin work at 2.30am on St Stephen's morning. It was a pleasure to drive there.

I was waved down by several pedestrians (who all looked to be miles from home) presumably thinking that my Merc was a taxi!

Bluetonic

In fairness departures and area 14 are like that most week day nights at that time.

Bluetonic

Zoney wrote: »

Dublin on the other hand is supposed to be a major airport, but it looks a joke compared to other airports one might be arriving from. It's quite depressing collecting baggage in particular. Yay, back in Ireland...

What exactly are you looking for? Entertainers? Collect your baggage and move on. Minimalistic areas ensure people keep moving.

It serves it's purpose, simple as that.

There are far far far worse international airports.

Rawr

Bluetonic wrote: »

What exactly are you looking for? Entertainers? Collect your baggage and move on. Minimalistic areas ensure people keep moving.

It serves it's purpose, simple as that.

There are far far far worse international airports.

True enough BlueTonic there are far worse airports out there, I've been to one or two of them

But I just want to echo Zoney's feeling about arriving in Dublin Airport and going to baggage claim in particular. It just feels like such an anti-climax sometimes to go through there. I'm not sure if it's the design of the place, the squeeking baggage belts or the wall-to-wall adverts.

It might just be because I'm from Ireland, but I wonder if any newcomers feel the same going through here?

BluntGuy

I guess it's because you get the feeling you're walking more through a shabby office building than a state-of-the-art international airport.

Hopefully T2 will give us an airport we can be proud of...

lord lucan

BluntGuy wrote: »

I guess it's because you get the feeling you're walking more through a shabby office building than a state-of-the-art international airport.

Hopefully T2 will give us an airport we can proud of...

it's the westlife ad welcoming you to ireland that gets me every time:mad:

Wishbone Ash

Bluetonic wrote: »

In fairness departures and area 14 are like that most week day nights at that time.

I take the point Bluetonic but it was that quiet from about 6pm that evening which would be unusual. I only thought of taking a couple of pics around 11pm. It is unusual to see a balnk departures information board as the following morning's flights would be listed normally.

Bluetonic wrote: »

What exactly are you looking for? Entertainers? Collect your baggage and move on. Minimalistic areas ensure people keep moving.

It serves it's purpose, simple as that.

There are far far far worse international airports.

I totally agree. When I hear people complaining that Dublin Airport is a kip etc. I usually think they mustn't get around much!

jank

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I take the point Bluetonic but it was that quiet from about 6pm that evening which would be unusual. I only thought of taking a couple of pics around 11pm. It is unusual to see a balnk departures information board as the following morning's flights would be listed normally.

I totally agree. When I hear people complaining that Dublin Airport is a kip etc. I usually think they mustn't get around much!

Well it is a kip. I dont think anybody can argue it is not. I'm sure there is worse out there but isnt that part of the problem. "Sure its fine like, not the best but not the worst" Typical Irish attitude IMO.

I have travelled a fair bit, especially the last few months and I have yet to encounter the queues for passport control that I had to endure in dublin airport.

Sure airports need to serve a primary purpose in moving passengers from A to B but they serve as the first and last impression of a country. If one or both are bad it doesnt bode well at all for a strong tourism market.
Moving passengers is 20th centuary thinking. Dubai, Singapore and others know that this is 2008 we need to look at ways to improve things into the 21st centuary.

Anybody who has been to Singapores' Changi Airport will testify what a brilliant place it is. When i was leaving a few weeks ago, I was thinking I wish my flight was delayed so I could explore more, as there is so much to do there. The place is like a hotel.

OK Dublin is not singapore and never will be but at least aspire to something. I have no idea what T2 will be like. Are there designs of it somewhere?

Bluetonic

jank wrote: »

I have travelled a fair bit, especially the last few months and I have yet to encounter the queues for passport control that I had to endure in dublin airport.

Where exactly did you travel so and at what times.

Thats an unbelievable statement if you are travelled as much as your letting on.

Bluetonic

jank wrote: »

I have no idea what T2 will be like. Are there designs of it somewhere?

Plans are here

Terrontress

What I can't believe is, in spite of the common travel area, the passport area must be gone through when getting off flights from the UK. The same checks are not placed at Dun Laoighre or at any UK airports for flights originating in Ireland.

Dublin airport neither has the awe and exciting feel of major European airports such as Frankfurt, Munich or Amsterdam. Neither does it have the ease of use as an airport in a smaller European city or capital such as Riga or Ljubljana.

The staff all have the "we're crap and we know we are but there are worse out there somewhere" attitude. Nobody, either on here or at the airport ever says what these worse airports are and on which fronts they are worse.

I'd say people will start to cross the border to use the Northern Ireland airports soon.

Hagar

Very nice pictures. I remember a few years ago the arrivals boards on Christmas Eve saying something like "Flight NP1 North Pole Airlines - Santa expected on time".

jank

Thats an unbelievable statement if you are travelled as much as your letting on.

Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Brunei, New Zealand in the last 4 months.
Never mind most european countries before that. (Paris was a bit of a joke once but CHD at least trys, even though it confuses the hell out of you). US too but that was back in 2002. Things may have changed lately.

Most of these passport controls were at the airport in the country and I have experienced worse at Dublin airport. It was actually surprising and it makes you think what a joke some things are at home. Even Laos was smooth! Lead you thinking they must be modern enough. Then you see the state of the makeshift tuk tuk where the driver tries to sell you a "lovely" rat hole for $5 a night!:)

Some crossed borders were over land/over sea but they werent too bad either. Much quicker then I thought it would be. Anyway thats another topic.

You feel like livestock at dublin airport. As a "modern" european capital its a frustrating and underwhelming. If you can provide info thats otherwise fair enough. I'm just going on personal experience.

alpha2zulu

Great pictures!
Do the fastpass machines in front of the desks in area 14 print bag tags also, as from the pic they look slightly different to the regular fastpass machines.

I have travelled a fair bit, especially the last few months and I have yet to encounter the queues for passport control that I had to endure in dublin airport

Apparently theres a few shenanigans on the industrial relations front going on amongst the immigration officials at the Airport over the past few days, which been causing long delays for inbound passengers.:rolleyes:

sdanseo

Sure Dublin's like that from about 9pm every evening till 3-4am for Departures. Arrivals is a different story.

Bluetonic

Terrontress wrote: »

Dublin airport neither has the awe and exciting feel of major European airports such as Frankfurt, Munich or Amsterdam. Neither does it have the ease of use as an airport in a smaller European city or capital such as Riga or Ljubljana.

Nobody, either on here or at the airport ever says what these worse airports are and on which fronts they are worse.

Having experienced Munich during the last 6 months I can say it's arrival facilities and procedures were a lot poorer than Dublin to say the least. Four or five loads of passengers arriving on flights converged on a very thin corridor to wait at two open passport check desk. The people at the back of the queue waited around 30 minutes to get through, people coming up escalators had nowhere to go as there was some much congestion. Might have been a one off, but it happened, and yes it Germany!

Riga carried 3m passengers last year (same as Cork), Ljubljana carried 1.5m passengers. Dublin carried 24m, why would it have the ease of use of what really can only described as regional airports?

Terrontress wrote: »

I'd say people will start to cross the border to use the Northern Ireland airports soon.

Why? Because of peoples misconceptions on what an airport should provide. It serves it's purpose to a consistent and acceptable standard and always has done.

therecklessone

I fly into Dublin about 30 times a year and have no problem in saying it is the most depressing place to arrive in after any length of a flight. Long walks from the extremities of the airport's piers, queues for passport control (even for those arriving from the CTA with the UK) and surly GNIB staff, the absolute dive that is the baggage hall with poor access past the end of the baggage belts (baggage strewn along the walls opposite, handling agent trollies blocking passage for passengers), long queues for taxis and a lot more.

About the only thing they've done well in recent years is the reorganisation of the multistory carpark and the space behind it to accomodate bus services, and the drop off point.

Leaving through the place isn't much better, with the ASU staff seemingly incapable of managing the flow of passengers through their individual serach stations (is it too much to ask that someone could suggest to the idiots who stand at the end of the search machines to rearrange their posessions that it might be a good idea to pick up their tray and move out of the way so that the rest of us can get our stuff and move on with minimal delay?

Chris_533976

I remember in Dublin airport recently my plod to one of the piers. It didnt have ANY travelators and it was the bones of a kilometre. We felt sorry for the old granny trying to make that ridiculous route march.

Even if its a temporary pier, at least make it easy to get to.

alpha2zulu

Having experienced Munich during the last 6 months I can say it's arrival facilities and procedures were a lot poorer than Dublin to say the least

Passed through Munich in October and the most noticeable difference with Dublin is how short a walk it is to the landside area, as their are 5 separate arrival areas along the length of Terminal 1.

However i would say that immigration is handled better in Dublin. For some reason each time i hit passport control in Arrivals or Departures at Munich they take a great interest in my passport.The friend I was with got the same treatment, she was thinking we were about to be arrested! Wheather its because of my age, a 20something, or being a studenty type or what, the passport gets a long scan , a bit of typeing, and several long glances before handing it back, while people ahead are practically waved through.

Getting through U.S immigration at DUB is quicker:rolleyes:

The area past security in Munich is also tiny compared with what Dublin has to offer as its an area of the Terminal with only around 5gates for non-schengen flights. Once you've had a look in the newsagent and Travel value shop you are in for a long sit down wait for your flight

donvito99

The only place I like to go to in DA is Pier C, when the travelators are working of course. Nice lighting, usually quiet enough, good relaxing colours as opposed to stainless steel and glass. The rest of the airport honestly make me feel embarressed when tourists come through it, baggage hall is the main reason. The outside of the airport is fairly awful aswell, the only masterpiece of architecture is the old terminal building, and thats being strangled by the new Skybridge.

Bluetonic

donvito99 wrote: »

The only place I like to go to in DA is Pier C, when the travelators are working of course. Nice lighting, usually quiet enough, good relaxing colours as opposed to stainless steel and glass.

Of course it's quite enough, no flights depart from there.

The general trend of people complaining about lack of travelators worries me, as a nation some of us are getting quite fat and unfit. A bit of walking might do us no harm, you'll be on the bloody flight for long enough complaining about being cramped and jumping up to get off the minute the flight lands (well before the doors open) so why not get the lead out your arses.

Chris_533976

Munich airport has really high tech toilet though. The urinals have a little sensor on them that flushes when you walk away from them. Also, the hand towels automatically unwind and wind up for you.

I love Munich airport, its nice and bright and big and everything just seems to work. Unlike Cork, for instance, where the whole farce with the airbridges is just embarassing.

Stark

Bluetonic wrote: »

The general trend of people complaining about lack of travelators worries me, as a nation some of us are getting quite fat and unfit. A bit of walking might do us no harm, you'll be on the bloody flight for long enough complaining about being cramped and jumping up to get off the minute the flight lands (well before the doors open) so why not get the lead out your arses.

Having travelators could mean the difference between missing a flight or not if you're in a rush.

In response to the anticipated "leave more time for your flight" canned response, I'll say that it's already awkward enough leaving enough time to get to the airport, check in, get through security etc. and anything that reduces the amount of time you need to leave before your flight's departure time is a good thing.

Bluetonic

Stark wrote: »

Having travelators could mean the difference between missing a flight or not if you're in a rush.

In response to the anticipated "leave more time for your flight" canned response, I'll say that it's already awkward enough leaving enough time to get to the airport, check in, get through security etc. and anything that reduces the amount of time you need to leave before your flight's departure time is a good thing.

Strange that I don't know of anyone who has ever missed a flight once they arrived at the airport 90 minutes (more often than not a lot later) before departure. (aside from extremely exception circumstances like August 06).

I'd imagine a lot of people miss flights due to shopping or drinking in the airport, not down to lack of travelators!

therecklessone

Bluetonic wrote: »

The general trend of people complaining about lack of travelators worries me, as a nation some of us are getting quite fat and unfit. A bit of walking might do us no harm, you'll be on the bloody flight for long enough complaining about being cramped and jumping up to get off the minute the flight lands (well before the doors open) so why not get the lead out your arses.

I usually walk throughout any airport I'm in but have in the past suffered back pain while travelling and been glad of the break that a travellator has provided me on my way to distant departure gates.

Not everyone is as able bodied as you seem to be. Perhaps you should think on that before you start lecturing people on their fitness or lack thereof.

Efficient design of airport facilities should allow for swift, pain-free transit by passengers, both landing and departing. Airports should be clean and uncluttered, with adequate seating at departure gates (since you think we should all be at the airport 90+ minutes before we depart), adequate space for passenger screening, and should focus on passenger comfort rather than squeezing said passengers through retail concessions in an effort to maximise profit for the airport authority.

In the ten years since I left my position at Aer Rianta not a hell of a lot has changed, a change of name did little to alter the ethos which has always been to see the purpose of the airport as an opportunity to milk passengers of their cash, instead of providing a clean, comfortable space for passengers to relax before boarding their flight.

alpha2zulu

Munich airport has really high tech toilet though

Albeit, down around 3 flights of stairs in the departure lounge of Terminal 1 at least. I dont know about T2 at MUC but the area C used by Aer Lingus in MUC is a pretty dull and boring affair.

Given the size of DUB it actually does a pretty good job. Sure it's not the most aesthically pleaseing of Terminals, but it does manage to offer 24 million passengers a year a functional airport.Security is also much less of a drama than what is served up in UK airports and with less of the gruff attitude demonstrated across the water. The worst i've had to wait at 530-600am is 20minutes.

Stark

I agree. Pretty much every journey I've had through Dublin airport has been pain free.

Victor

Chris_533976 wrote: »

We felt sorry for the old granny trying to make that ridiculous route march.

For those not able to make longer walks, wheelchairs or golf carts are usually available.

Bluetonic

therecklessone wrote: »

Not everyone is as able bodied as you seem to be. Perhaps you should think on that before you start lecturing people on their fitness or lack thereof.

I never lectured anyone, it was merely a comment. An easy going one at that.

therecklessone wrote: »

In the ten years since I left my position at Aer Rianta not a hell of a lot has changed, a change of name did little to alter the ethos which has always been to see the purpose of the airport as an opportunity to milk passengers of their cash, instead of providing a clean, comfortable space for passengers to relax before boarding their flight.

I see pushing trolleys around Dublin Airport has a left a serious bitter taste in your mouth (and a bad back by the sounds of it).

Safe enough to say your going to have a negative view given your ex-connections.

Mr. Presentable

Victor wrote: »

For those not able to make longer walks, wheelchairs or golf carts are usually available.

Ah, but there's not much whinge value in pointing that out.

Stark

A wheelchair is fairly demeaning compared to a travelator though. Some airports have walks of 2-3km in length: fine if you're healthy and have time to spare, but quite a distance if you're frail or in a rush.

BluntGuy

Travellators are welcome, but really to avoid those long two kilometer walks (which are still slow even by travellator let's be honest), they should have an automated people mover like you have at airports such as Stansted to take you to within a reasonable distance of your departure gate (although even Stansted - a well-designed airport - has long walks WITHOUT travellators I might add).

therecklessone

Bluetonic wrote: »

I never lectured anyone, it was merely a comment. An easy going one at that.

Asking people to get the lead out of their arses is not easy going.

Bluetonic wrote: »

I see pushing trolleys around Dublin Airport has a left a serious bitter taste in your mouth (and a bad back by the sounds of it).

Safe enough to say your going to have a negative view given your ex-connections.

My time as an employee didn't leave me with a bitter taste, far from it. It's the years of experiences as a customer and regular user of the airport that leaves me less than impressed.

And yeah, it was the time shoving trolleys that started the back trouble.

jank

I thought munich was fine. It was very quiet when I was there so I may have been lucky. Wasnt it voted in the top 5 world airports a while ago?

Cork, well its a mixed bag. As im from there I may be biased. The building itself looks great very open feel about the place but the facilities dont match. The one air bridge is a joke and when its raining you get soaked to the bone. Baggage takes ages to arrive aswell even though the place is dead.

jank

http://www.airlinequality.com/Airports/Airport_forum/dub.htm
Pretty much of a "meh" on dublin airport.
Other airports also available to comment on.

Re munich
http://www.worldairportawards.com/
Best airport in Europe supposedly.

alpha2zulu

Cork, well its a mixed bag. The one air bridge is a joke and when its raining you get soaked to the bone. Baggage takes ages to arrive aswell even though the place is dead.

Yes the whole airbridge debacle is a pity alright, but apart from that its probably the most user friendly Airport in the country. Bags being slow to arrive is nothing to do with the Airport authorities, but everything to do with the handling agent not having enough staff dealing with your flight and/or the handling staff that are there decidng to load the outbound flight first.


Yes while Munich maybe thej ewel in the crown of German "efficency", its got none of the romance and character of walking over those creaky floors in the portakabin pier....

J_Dublin15

Nothing is worse than Heathrow Terminal one last time I was there about 4-5 months ago, the whole thing was being refubished, very little shops, cafes, and the aer lingus departure area is a disgrace.

Terrontress

jank wrote: »

http://www.airlinequality.com/Airports/Airport_forum/dub.htm
Pretty much of a "meh" on dublin airport.
Other airports also available to comment on.

Re munich
http://www.worldairportawards.com/
Best airport in Europe supposedly.

I think there must be some sense of misplaced patriotism on here. Ignore all the failings of Dublin airport, proclaim it to be fantastic and deride any other airport mentioned. I fly often enough that Dublin is awful and the immigration are is a joke. When travelling with Aer Lingus to London, I make a point of using my AIB staff card as ID, as is my right. What are those bog men in ill-fitting suits going to be able to ascertain from that?

Terrontress

J_Dublin15 wrote: »

Nothing is worse than Heathrow Terminal one last time I was there about 4-5 months ago, the whole thing was being refubished, very little shops, cafes, and the aer lingus departure area is a disgrace.

Agreed. That concrete tunnel gives me nightmares just thinking about it. On the positive side, Heathrow is very easy to get to and from.