Dublin Baggage Queues

g0g

I hope this is the right forum. Maybe there's a general transport one that would be better. Anywho, I haven't flown abroad with my wife in a couple of years and heard something very weird today.

We've a flight on Friday morning (from Dublin) early and I've heard of people on our flight doing "bag drops" at the airport the night before their flight. FFS!? Are people mad or is that the norm? Are queues at 06:00 likely to be that long, August or not!?

bisounours

Brilliant if Dublin is doing this. When I lived in HK and travelled back monthly to HQ in London. Flights were around midnight, so I was able to check luggage in the night before or the morning of the flight, go to work, have dinner/drinks with friends in the city before heading to the airport with only passport and boarding pass in hand.

IRLConor

g0g wrote: »

I hope this is the right forum. Maybe there's a general transport one that would be better. Anywho, I haven't flown abroad with my wife in a couple of years and heard something very weird today.

We've a flight on Friday morning (from Dublin) early and I've heard of people on our flight doing "bag drops" at the airport the night before their flight. FFS!? Are people mad or is that the norm? Are queues at 06:00 likely to be that long, August or not!?

The bag drop queues can often be long at this time of year but they move pretty quickly.

Doing the bag drop the night before can be handy for some. For example, my parents live about 15 mins from the airport so they sometimes use that facility if they have an early flight. It takes some of the uncertainty out of the timing of the following morning so they can eke out a bit more time in bed and cut the timing a bit closer in the morning.

keith16

Are you flying with Aer Lingus from T2?

It is likely to be very busy on Friday morning and yes, checking your bags at the airport the night before is indeed possible. That is of course if you live in Dublin in the first place. I wouldn't be driving up and down from Cork just to drop the bags.

But it is a good way to travel with a bit less stress. Do it if you can. Maybe give Aer Lingus a shout first to see if the service is definitely still available. Or check the website.

pc7

Yup I've used it, I live near the airport. Pop up around 8 the night before, park outside, run in with bags, extra time in bed the next morning.

rrpc

bisounours wrote: »

Brilliant if Dublin is doing this. When I lived in HK and travelled back monthly to HQ in London. Flights were around midnight, so I was able to check luggage in the night before or the morning of the flight, go to work, have dinner/drinks with friends in the city before heading to the airport with only passport and boarding pass in hand.

Yes but only if your flight is taking off before eight in the morning (I think). You can bag drop after seven the previous evening.

g0g

Thanks for the quick replies, much appreciated! Not sure I fancy an hour round-trip from Bray if the queue will be less than an hour in the morning. Presume 05:30 airport will be grand for 07:10 flight.

L1011

Not mad - if you live or work northside its extremely handy. I've done the squatting-in-dropoff before as suggested before - someone else driving the car, leave a trolley beside it and no questions for the three minutes it took.

Allows you to go straight to security, if you really want a few minutes longer in bed you can do fasttrack also.

lord lucan

g0g wrote: »

Thanks for the quick replies, much appreciated! Not sure I fancy an hour round-trip from Bray if the queue will be less than an hour in the morning. Presume 05:30 airport will be grand for 07:10 flight.

I would turn up at 04.30,05.00 at the latest tbh. It'll be extremely busy at that time of the morning.

GalwayGrrrrrl

You need to arrive two hours before flight if you have bags to drop. The queue is massive at that time in the morning, then it takes ages to get through security.

Stheno

lord lucan wrote: »

I would turn up at 04.30,05.00 at the latest tbh. It'll be extremely busy at that time of the morning.

Agreed the airport can be mental that hour of the day

the merchant

I did this a few weeks back and it was very handy. It was a great feeling arriving to the airport and heading straight to security bypassing what was a huge queue for bag drop.

FYI Aer Lingus allow you to drop the bags between 4pm and 8pm the day before a pre-8am flight.

rrpc

xfactorfan23 wrote: »

You need to arrive two hours before flight if you have bags to drop. The queue is massive at that time in the morning, then it takes ages to get through security.

At least two hours before. I've often seen people being pulled from the queue because their flight is boarding. This has a knock-on effect on the rest of the queue and things can get tense :eek:.

I'd advise two and a half hours if you want to have a relaxed experience. Two hours can be too tight for comfort.

K.Flyer

Having been in and out of the Airport a lot recently and T2 with the baggage queues can be a disaster.
Lots of families now going on holidays, lots of bags, kids, the kitchen sink etc.
And then the queues through security are now getting longer and slower as parents try to deal with their kids and their own stuff, chaotic at times.
Either drop the bags the night before or get into the Airport a minimum of 2.5 - 3 hrs before departure so you have ample time to get through it all.

conor_ie

I'm flying to BKK via LHR in a week or so with Aer Lingus and I'm planning to use this service..

Train to Dublin.. Bus to Airport.. Drop the Bag.. Over to my hotel for the night!

Means an extra half hour in bed.. Whooo!

hardCopy

I never knew about this. I've an early morning flight next month on a Monday morning, am staying in the Carlton so may as well swing by with bags before I check in to the hotel.

roundymac

Yes a great service, used it for Vienna last year, you can use it in Cork also.

g0g

Thanks all again, gonna try the service tonight. A bit nervous as the bag is checked in my wife's name and she's not coming out with me, but according to the EI site:

Each passenger needs to present themselves to check-in and drop off bags but if you are travelling with immediate family, one member of the family can check-in and drop bags for the group the evening before. Passports/ID cards are required for all passengers travelling, and must be presented the evening before.