Dublin Airport

Fratton Fred

Can anyone shed any light on what is happening regards flight times at Dublin airport?

I have been catching a flight at around 6:40 pretty much every monday morning for the past year, but over the last 6 or 8 weeks it has got steadily more and more congested.

I know we are coming into the holiday season, but last summer was nowhere as bad as this morning. the queues for passenger screening were not far short of a joke today. Have a lot of new flights been put on around this time or something? I know it's not a monday btw, but it was a bank holiday in England so everyone working in England was heading back today.

Bluetonic

Lots of Irish flying to Rome this morning too will have added to todays screening queues.

Plascebo

Also with web check-in lots more passengers are arriving closer to their departure time thinking they just go straight through security with no queueing, which adds to the congestion (and frustration)

barongreen

i'll bet the daa are cutting back on security/staff, i think they were laying off 70 people in the shopping areas anyway.

Fratton Fred

barongreen wrote: »

i'll bet the daa are cutting back on security/staff, i think they were laying off 70 people in the shopping areas anyway.

In fairness to the DAA they had all the lanes open and plenty of staff, it was just sheer weight of numbers that was causing the delay.

Good point about the online check in meaning people get there later, never thought about that.

Bluetonic

barongreen wrote: »

i'll bet the daa are cutting back on security/staff, i think they were laying off 70 people in the shopping areas anyway.

Lets just stick to known facts here.

lord lucan

I'm surprised the DAA haven't copied luton airports innovation of a "priority" security lane,costs £3stg to go through and you don't get caught up in the madness that is the regular security que there. My first reaction on seeing this the other day was "ah ffs!!" but given the delays i've encountered at luton before(never had a problem at any of the BAA airports in london) in waiting to clear security and screening i think it's actually not a bad idea. No-one is forced to pay it,it's an option.

qnhhpa

[html]Have a lot of new flights been put on around this time or something?[/html]

I estimate there are less flights on around this time than previously.

Davidth88

Summer schedules ?

Also maybe Fred you have got used to the airport being a bit quieter ... I have noticed that it's quieter since Christmas , but I have not had a Monday ' red eye ' for a while now ( since Feb/ March )

oppiuy

I've a flight at half six on friday morning, what time would you recommend getting to the airport at. Was thinking i fly through security at that time but not so sure now....Have that long walk to Ryanair aswell

Plascebo

oppiuy wrote: »

I've a flight at half six on friday morning, what time would you recommend getting to the airport at. Was thinking i fly through security at that time but not so sure now....Have that long walk to Ryanair aswell

It is actually one of the busiest times, from 4am until roughly 7 am, and picks up again in the afternoon. Would recomment getting to the airport AT LEAST 60 minutes before your flight.

oppiuy

Plascebo wrote: »

It is actually one of the busiest times, from 4am until roughly 7 am, and picks up again in the afternoon. Would recomment getting to the airport AT LEAST 60 minutes before your flight.

Cheers, kinda thought it would be quiet. I dont live to far from the airport so i get up that bit earlier..

Fratton Fred

Davidth88 wrote: »

Summer schedules ?

Also maybe Fred you have got used to the airport being a bit quieter ... I have noticed that it's quieter since Christmas , but I have not had a Monday ' red eye ' for a while now ( since Feb/ March )

the thing with a Monday redeye, is that the red eyes don't go until friday, usually after the 2nd G&T on the flight home:D

it is definately busier now than last year, it has gotten steadily busier over the last two months, culminating in Tuesday's fiasco.

from my point of view, if i were to turn up earlier, it means catching a 4am bus rather than a 5am one. the extra hour in bed is priceless!

Bluetonic

Seem Ryanair (The DAAs best friends of course) are blaming the DAA. no great surprise really, no opportunity missed.

500 meter security queues :rolleyes:

New DAA Chairman must reverse Dublin Airport's service failures
Ryanair calls on New DAA Chairman to Reverse Abysmal Service Levels at Dublin Airport

100 passengers miss flights due to half kilometre security queues


Ryanair, Europe’s largest low fares airline, today (27th May 09) called on newly appointed DAA Chairman, David Dilger, to address the appalling service levels at Dublin airport after queues of up to half a kilometre at airport security resulted in over 100 passengers missing early morning flights at Dublin Airport.

Ryanair confirmed that the DAA failed to staff all security points on time with just 8 out of 17 security units open at 5am, the start of the busiest time of the day at Dublin Airport. Ryanair also confirmed that abysmal service levels at the DAA monopoly’s Dublin Airport are due to the re-deployment of staff, which are paid for by passengers and airlines, to replace “lolly pop men” at the construction site for the extravagant T2.

Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said:

“Dublin Airport has experienced a substantial fall in passenger numbers due to the high costs imposed by the DAA monopoly and passengers, who pay dearly to pass through one of Europe’s most expensive airports, continue to be exposed to the worst service levels of any of the 146 airports Ryanair operates from. As we face into the traditionally busier summer months we are calling on newly appointed DAA Chairman David Dilger to address the abysmal service levels at the monopoly run Dublin Airport.

“It is not acceptable that over 100 passengers miss flights when half of the 17 security units are closed at the busiest time of the day. Passengers are arriving at the airport with more than enough time to make their flights but the incompetence and unwillingness of the DAA to allow passengers to efficiently pass through airport security resulted in over 100 passengers missing flights this morning. This is totally unacceptable and underlines that the DAA monopoly continues to fail its airline customers and their passengers”.

http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/news.php?yr=09&month=may&story=gen-en-270509

Tenger

qnhhpa wrote: »

[html]Have a lot of new flights been put on around this time or something?[/html]

I estimate there are less flights on around this time than previously.

I would go with the introduction of the summer schedule mainline and charters airlines. EI move some flights earlier during April. ALso more 'new' flights to service the Summer demand.

The 'number' of flights never changes too much unless the airlines (FR, EI, WX, RE, AA, CO, DL,) reduce the number of aircraft based/operating out of DUB.

rugbyman

re the "fiasco" at dublin airport last week, I heard DAA comments on the radio tht day that they had no reports of folk missing flights. i think it unlikely that any of those affected would know where to complain to DAA.

Re the queues for the scanners, last sat at 5.45 am I joined the longest queue I have seen (am a weekly flier). i exited it at 6.10. pretty good stuff

re the comments on Luton. My family and I flew ex Stansted on a summer Bank hol. some years ago. Airport staff continually walked along the queues ,taking anyone running short of time to an express check slot. It was very professional.

final comment, in last saturdays queue was a family with a young girl on crutches. A young lady from DAA spotted this and took the family to the top. again,pretty good stuff.


regards, Rugbyman