Security Queue times in Dublin T2?

Stinicker

Am flying out of Dublin next week on the Abu Dhabi flight at 8.55pm with Etihad from Terminal Two.

I have booked the Aircoach to the Airport from Cork at it is scheduled to arrive at 18.25 but I have since read that the Aircoach service makes a pit-stop in Urlingford so I would be arriving at circa ~ 7pm. I also want to spend some time in Duty Free and get a quick bite to eat at the airport so I need to know what are security queues like at this time of the evening?

Lapin

Can't you get an earlier Aircoach from Cork?

double GG

1 hour 55 mins seems like a good bit of time but to be honest when going by bus I'd tend to leave it 3 hours before my flight leaves as any sort of delay from the bus will eat into that time you have.

I'd rather kill an hour reading a paper or strolling through duty free than trying to make up 20 minutes when going through security or on check in etc..

Up to you but I'd try get an earlier bus.

Stinicker

I have contacted them already and they told me I can get on the earlier bus if there is a free seat!

Lapin

Did you ask them about the stop in Urlingford when you got back to them?

It is unacceptable for a bus company (especially one serving an airport), to advertise an express service with an arrival time of 18.25 if it is regularly delayed by over half an hour due to an unscheduled stop.

I'd ask for further clarification of their actual arrival time and demand a seat on an earlier bus if it is closer to 7 than 18.25.

Don't take any guff from them about T&Cs or only giving you a seat if there is one free.

You booked a ticket in good faith based on their published timetable.
Its up to them to factor Urlingford into the schedule.

seven_eleven

From my experience with buses in this country, they are NEVER on time. Expect at least 40 minute delay after the stated arrival time.

Stinicker

Lapin wrote: »

Did you ask them about the stop in Urlingford when you got back to them?

It is unacceptable for a bus company (especially one serving an airport), to advertise an express service with an arrival time of 18.25 if it is regularly delayed by over half an hour due to an unscheduled stop.

I'd ask for further clarification of their actual arrival time and demand a seat on an earlier bus if it is closer to 7 than 18.25.

Don't take any guff from them about T&Cs or only giving you a seat if there is one free.

You booked a ticket in good faith based on their published timetable.
Its up to them to factor Urlingford into the schedule.

I rang them and told them I was concerned about the 18.25 arrival time and I was told that the bus doesn't have a scheduled stop at Urlingford but it does occasionally stop there at the request of passengers and that most of their Coaches now have toilets on-board. I was told that if it does stop in Urlingford that it would not be there for more than 10-15mins.

I have decided I will get to Cork early and try get on the 14.00 service which is due to arrive at 17.25 and even if that arrives late at say 18.00 in Dublin Airport it will give me enough time in the airport.

Worst care scenario and I am denied boarding I will go with GoBus on their 14.30 service which will get me there on time anyway.

What pisses me off is the uncertainty and I'd prefer if they just built the Urlingford stop into the service and say OK it is 4 hours from Cork to Dublin Airport. Obviously if there is no toilet on board people will need to pee during that time so why advertise it as an express non-stop if it isn't and they can't keep to schedule.

I travelled with GoBus the last time and said I'd try out Aircoach now as I never used them before and they were €2 cheaper and if I had known about the potential stop in Urlingford I'd have booked GoBus instead.

I will contact them again tomorrow and see what happens!

Lapin

Stinicker wrote: »

What pisses me off is the uncertainty and I'd prefer if they just built the Urlingford stop into the service and say OK it is 4 hours from Cork to Dublin Airport. Obviously if there is no toilet on board people will need to pee during that time so why advertise it as an express non-stop if it isn't and they can't keep to schedule.

Exactly. It seems very unprofessional of them not to mention what may or may not be an arbitary stop on route. Especially to an airport where people use Aircoach's advertised arrival time as a guide when planning their trip even if they factor in possible delays.

As Double GG says above, even arriving at 7 should give you plenty of time at the airport, but for peace of mind, I'd still try and get an earlier bus. And its nice to have time to relax at the airport before a long flight.

Best of luck and enjoy your trip !

foggy_lad

Stinicker wrote: »

I travelled with GoBus the last time and said I'd try out Aircoach now as I never used them before and they were €2 cheaper and if I had known about the potential stop in Urlingford I'd have booked GoBus instead.

I will contact them again tomorrow and see what happens!

That stop can delay services by more than 30 minutes especially if the bus is busy.

You should tell them you want to cancel and book with GoBé because they can't guarantee there will be no delay in Urlingford. Afaik none of the GoBé services make that ridiculous stop in the middle of nowhere.

Stinicker

foggy_lad wrote: »

That stop can delay services by more than 30 minutes especially if the bus is busy.

You should tell them you want to cancel and book with GoBé because they can't guarantee there will be no delay in Urlingford. Afaik none of the GoBé services make that ridiculous stop in the middle of nowhere.

Is this where it stops? I will push them for a cancellation and refund tomorrow or else a guaranteed seat on the 14.00 from Cork, although I'd nearly rather a refund at this stage now.

ProudDUB

Stinicker wrote: »

I have decided I will get to Cork early and try get on the 14.00 service which is due to arrive at 17.25 and even if that arrives late at say 18.00 in Dublin Airport it will give me enough time in the airport. !

Good call OP. Even if your original bus arrived at the airport on time, I still don't think that 1.55 hrs would be enough time to get off the bus, wait (along with 40 odd other people) to get your bags from the luggage hold, queue up to check in with your bags, clear the boarding card checks, clear security, get something to eat, shop for Duty Free, walk the 15 mins it can take to get to the T2 departure gates, and still be at your departure gate before they close it for boarding.

While your flight may leave at 8.55pm, your butt needs to be in your seat a long time before then. So you don't really have the full 1.55 hrs to play around with. Your deciding to take the earlier bus is a very smart decision imo.

devnull

foggy_lad wrote: »

That stop can delay services by more than 30 minutes especially if the bus is busy.

You should tell them you want to cancel and book with GoBé because they can't guarantee there will be no delay in Urlingford. Afaik none of the GoBé services make that ridiculous stop in the middle of nowhere.

Have you actually used the service? The most I've known it to be delayed by is 10-15 minutes. I've actually used the service quite a few times and it's rare that we've had a stop, but when we have it's never been more than 15 minutes and usually under 10.

Padraig Mor

devnull wrote: »

Have you actually used the service? The most I've known it to be delayed by is 10-15 minutes. I've actually used the service quite a few times and it's rare that we've had a stop, but when we have it's never been more than 15 minutes and usually under 10.

Yes, used Aircoach the other week. Stopped on the way from Cork for under 10 mins. Stopped on the way back for under 15 mins, and that was with a completely full bus.

bk

To be honest I think you are over-reacting a little, you would be fine with two hours at the airport. Even if it was a little late. Terminal 2 isn't that bad. Worst case scenario, you might have to eat on the plane, instead of the airport.

I just got the 7am Aircoach from Cork, it had a toilet onboard and got into Dublin 10 minutes early.

I take the Aircoach regularly and when it does stop for a toilet break, it usually only adds 10 or 15 minutes. The Aircoach has never been more then 20 minutes late for me and that was due to heavy traffic on a Friday evening heading to Cork.

About 70% of the coaches on this route have toilets, though they do tend to use the non toilet equipped coaches at the busiest peak times as they have more capacity.

Also just because it hasn't a toilet, doesn't mean it will stop. Friday evening it didn't, despite being totally full and no toilet, as no one asked to stop.

However I do agree it would be better if they had 100% toilet equipped coaches. Hopefully in time this will happen.

In the meantime, you can pay a little more and go with GoBE, whose coaches are all toilet equipped. However the downside is that their schedule is far less frequent and comprehensive.

BenShermin

I've been delayed a few times by 10 to 20mins over the Urlingford stop. I did experience a 30min delay in May last year though. For me it's an inconvenience that I'm no longer willing to put up with, I always use GoBÉ these days. For you it could be a missed flight.

My advice, don't cancel your Aircoach booking, just use the earlier bus instead, the chance of the 1400 bus being full on any day of the week is very slim. Aircoach are very fair and flexible with their tickets.

Fred Swanson

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bk

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

No, but of course such people can just claim they want to stop to use the toilet.

Stinicker

Took the Aircoach from Cork today, they honoured my 15:00 ticket on the 14:00 service and there was only around 20-25 people on board most of whom disembarked in the City Centre. The bus was a blue Centano and had toilets on board and there was no toilet break stop in Urlingford. Bus arrived in the City Centre on time and got me to the airport in plenty time, just waiting at the gate for my flight to depart but Aircoach were great today. The only drawback I could foresee would be the lack of bus shelters on a rainy day down in Cork but today was dry so no problems either for me!