The Dublin Airport experience

circular flexing

I’m based overseas but home for the holidays. Decided to take a couple of days away in Germany and here is my experience of Dublin airport as a departing passenger.

Check in was fine and security queue was short. However after my bag was scanned, one of the ASU agents came over and quite aggressively stated that I had an aerosol in my bag. Now I haven’t used aerosols in a long time but I do have an electric toothbrush which could be mistaken for aerosol. I asked this but she was insistent that it was an aerosol. Without a) asking for permission or b) asking if I had anything sharp or dangerous in my bag she started taking stuff out of my bag. Once she had everything out and saw there was no aerosol, she put everything back in (not in the order I had packed it) and said the bag needed to be scanned again. Finally after this second scan she accepted I didn’t have an aerosol. (Incidentally the person after me was aggressively accused of having jam but actually had candles). I understand that ASU have a job to do but the attitude and rudeness of the agent was not a great experience.

Anyway on to the gate, I went through T2 security but gate was 303. The area just after T1 security was a mess with people trying to get to 3xx/1xx gates and people just after coming through security trying to get their stuff together or stopping to check screens. It would make sense for DAA to direct all traffic for 3xx/1xx gates to T1 security and stop this cross traffic airside. Land side has more space.

Get to 303 and it’s like a zoo. Turns out the Qatar Airways flight to Doha is leaving from 304, so a 787 plane load of passengers are waiting to board. No seats to sit and wait and multiple queues and people sitting on the floor. Not sure how anyone thinks boarding that flight from that area makes sense.

Overall one of the worst airport experiences I’ve had in a while or maybe ever, even next to places like LAX.

spurious

You didn't even get to do the Ryanair hoof.

antix80

Christmas in an airport basically.
Arrive early, get security out of the way, and find somewhere to drink.

You shouldn't have brought deodorant in your hand luggage.




(just messing)

Strumms

Must just have been a bad day. All of of the ASUs in Dublin are great, professional and efficient guys and gals. Better than any of the airports I’ve travelled out of in fact especially in terms of friendliness and efficiency... could just have been under pressure time of the year and everything.

LineOfBeauty

Recently flying to the UK. My carry on was scanned, and had to be searched, the agent comes over to me and asks if it is my bag, I say it is, he asks "did you pack this yourself" so I assume he's making a joke about how messy it is and I'm chuckling and I'm like "ye, it was me", he's stoney-faced, he then goes and pulls out an old bottle of aftershave which he bins, and then he pulls out a bread knife, I was absolutely mortified. Not the most jovial man to be honest, though equally it must be tough dealing with idiots at 6am trying to bring knives on planes.

circular flexing

Strumms wrote: »

Must just have been a bad day. All of of the ASUs in Dublin are great, professional and efficient guys and gals. Better than any of the airports I’ve travelled out of in fact especially in terms of friendliness and efficiency... could just have been under pressure time of the year and everything.

Bad day for sure but I’ve seen similar attitudes in other ASU agents before. Last time I saw one of them loudly berate a woman who was struggling with a buggy and baby.

In this case she wouldn’t even look at my toothbrush and kept insisting it was an aerosol. She had a number of chances to change the tone of the interaction but didn’t.

washman3

Did you get to meet 'Bruce Almighty' in Dublin airport.??

Try taking a late flight out of Amsterdam to Dublin and check in right beside your gate but walk all the way to the opposite side to get through security to walk all the way back again.

The old OIrish boarding area in T1 Heathrow was shocking especially during the summer.

JFK security is shocking. Try squeezing through the terminal airside at Schonefeld when it’s busy.

Point is every airport or nearly every airport has its inefficiencies. We’ve all had rotten experiences. Spare a thought for those who have to spend 8-10 hours every day talking to imbeciles who constantly try to bring inappropriate stuff through security. They were right to call you on it, yes attitude may have been off but that’s their job.

Strumms

Deleted User wrote: »

Try taking a late flight out of Amsterdam to Dublin and check in right beside your gate but walk all the way to the opposite side to get through security to walk all the way back again.

The old OIrish boarding area in T1 Heathrow was shocking especially during the summer.

JFK security is shocking. Try squeezing through the terminal airside at Schonefeld when it’s busy.

Point is every airport or nearly every airport has its inefficiencies. We’ve all had rotten experiences. Spare a thought for those who have to spend 8-10 hours every day talking to imbeciles who constantly try to bring inappropriate stuff through security. They were right to call you on it, yes attitude may have been off but that’s their job.

Amsterdam is a pain, Heathrow isn’t great but Stanstead has to be the worst... Gatwick is brilliant by miles the best London airport, security do their job but are courteous and professional.

circular flexing

Deleted User wrote: »

Try taking a late flight out of Amsterdam to Dublin and check in right beside your gate but walk all the way to the opposite side to get through security to walk all the way back again.

The old OIrish boarding area in T1 Heathrow was shocking especially during the summer.

JFK security is shocking. Try squeezing through the terminal airside at Schonefeld when it’s busy.

Point is every airport or nearly every airport has its inefficiencies. We’ve all had rotten experiences. Spare a thought for those who have to spend 8-10 hours every day talking to imbeciles who constantly try to bring inappropriate stuff through security. They were right to call you on it, yes attitude may have been off but that’s their job.

I haven’t been to those airports so I take your point. I will say there are a lot of airports in North America that are well designed - max 5 minutes from security to gate and plenty of seating areas relative to the flights leaving.

Also I agree that they need to investigate suspicious items but there’s a good way and a bad way of going about this. A positive attitude will be reciprocated as will a negative attitude.

Noxegon

Strumms wrote: »

Must just have been a bad day. All of of the ASUs in Dublin are great, professional and efficient guys and gals.

Most are indeed great, but you do get the occasional individual on a power trip.

Air travel would be great without the other people

goingnowhere

Dublin airport is by far the best I've encountered, its consistent and quick. They do not let things slip through.

AMS has improved since they got the new CT scan system. LHR T5 is consistently slow, rude and difficult they seem to take pleasure in holding you up.

US is a farce, poorly trained staff and ridiculous rules

circular flexing

goingnowhere wrote: »

Dublin airport is by far the best I've encountered, its consistent and quick. They do not let things slip through.

No complaints about the speed, just the assumption that I did have an aerosol and was deliberately hiding it

AMS has improved since they got the new CT scan system. LHR T5 is consistently slow, rude and difficult they seem to take pleasure in holding you up.

US is a farce, poorly trained staff and ridiculous rules

I feel like TSA has improved in the last year. I’ve been through LAX, SAN, OGG and DFW (LAX and SAN multiple times) in the past year and any interactions I’ve had with them they have been fair and reasonable.

endofrainbow

I've found them to be that little more rude in T1 and have more sworn that I will pay extra for FastTrack but I can understand how frustrated security can get with airheads trying to get through with prohibited items - the *rules don't apply to me Brigade*

kenmm

If this is one of your worst Airport experiences ever i'd say its not too bad? One of the busiest days of the year and someone was a bit short with you?

There is a bit of a bottleneck there at 3XX gates, but again, probably only so bad 15 days per year when airport is near peak.

Ernest

But what about ARRIVALS at Dublin Airport?
This is the first impression visitors have of arriving in Dublin and its a slow inefficient mess with long winding queues, confusing passport-reading machines and poor service generally. There may be worse airports but I have never encountered them in other European cities. I always find Dublin Airport the most stressful to arrive at.

Sheep Shagger

Ernest wrote: »

But what about ARRIVALS at Dublin Airport?
This is the first impression visitors have of arriving in Dublin and its a slow inefficient mess with long winding queues, confusing passport-reading machines and poor service generally. There may be worse airports but I have never encountered them in other European cities. I always find Dublin Airport the most stressful to arrive at.

Agreed, between those stupid and utterly pointless North gates, having to climb stairs only to go back down when arriving, not having stairs at an aircraft late at night and massive lines at passport control (but that's getting better in fairness), they still have lot to.improve on.

I think from departures though, it's pretty good.

Chris_5339762

Stansted for departures is by far the worst.

Gatwick is the best of the regular London airports but London City will always win, even though its a bit small and cramped the sheer convenience of it.

Cork is still top of my list because its so small yet has all the facilities and feel of a much bigger airport.

yer man!

I find Amsterdam to be really good now in terms of security anyway. The new x-ray scanners means you don;t have to take anything out of the bag so it really quickens things up. You do have to walk for an absolute age to get to the AerLingus or Ryanair gates though.

AlekSmart

Ernest wrote: »

But what about ARRIVALS at Dublin Airport?
This is the first impression visitors have of arriving in Dublin and its a slow inefficient mess with long winding queues, confusing passport-reading machines and poor service generally. There may be worse airports but I have never encountered them in other European cities. I always find Dublin Airport the most stressful to arrive at.

Ah lissen Son,back in the day,ye could have butterkrust AND an oul Sing-Song while ye were waitin...

https://www.facebook.com/StairnahEireann/videos/2446998375414609/

dfx-

Leaving from Terminal 1 at CDG is an experience. The oddest 'escalators'...

As long as you avoid flying out at the same time as the transatlantic flights and avoid the South Gates, T2 is fine to fly through, even with the security theatre. With no security queue, it can be even pleasant.

Arriving...my flight is usually shorter than the time from landing to the arrivals hall. Again especially if you are dumped out in the cold at the South Gates.

ted1

Ernest wrote: »

But what about ARRIVALS at Dublin Airport?
This is the first impression visitors have of arriving in Dublin and its a slow inefficient mess with long winding queues, confusing passport-reading machines and poor service generally. There may be worse airports but I have never encountered them in other European cities. I always find Dublin Airport the most stressful to arrive at.

Really , I find Dublin airport a breeze to arrive in , avoid e machines they are Painful go to immigration flash Your passport and they’ll say wellcome home.

shanec1928

People giving out about lack of seats and poor experience would be in for a shock to visit a few airports in Africa. Addis Ababa being one of the worst.

BlackandGreen

T2 security was a disaster last time I went through it, which is funny because usually people complain about T1 but I've generally had fine experiences in T1.


The queues were huge, took over an hour. People were very panicky due to nearly missing fights.



Most of the scanners weren't open and the security staff were clearly under pressure, and inexperienced and probably underpaid too.

NSAman

You have got to be kidding. Dublin is a simple and friendly airport. have you ever arrived in Mexico City or left from there?

Compared to most american airports Dublin is clean and although facilities airside are poor at gates, it is a nice experience. Security have always been courteous compare that with recent experiences in JFK, LAX, ORD MIA for example and you would not complain.

Stovepipe

T1 has always been a lab rat's maze of getting off the aircraft and then going through an obstacle course of up, down,left, right until you get popped out at the carousels. I always thought it unfair to the elderly and infirm. T2 requires a level of patience as an employee, that would make your kind boggle, as it is a warren of grey painted corridors, unmarked doors and lifts cunningly hidden around corners.

Padre_Pio

Stovepipe wrote: »

T1 has always been a lab rat's maze of getting off the aircraft and then going through an obstacle course of up, down,left, right until you get popped out at the carousels. I always thought it unfair to the elderly and infirm. T2 requires a level of patience as an employee, that would make your kind boggle, as it is a warren of grey painted corridors, unmarked doors and lifts cunningly hidden around corners.

T1 isn't that bad, just a long walk from Ryanair.

T2 is confusing to depart, as you check in on the ground floor, but security is on the second, but that's to make arriving much more pleasant experience as security, baggage and exit and busses don't require a floor change.

No one complains about their dozens of boring airport experiences.

Inquitus

I fly at least once a month with work, and find Dublin a pleasure to travel through compared to most airports, baggage comes out swiftly, the amenities after the refurb are good, security organised and polite.

Inquitus

dfx- wrote: »

Leaving from Terminal 1 at CDG is an experience. The oddest 'escalators'...

As long as you avoid flying out at the same time as the transatlantic flights and avoid the South Gates, T2 is fine to fly through, even with the security theatre. With no security queue, it can be even pleasant.

Arriving...my flight is usually shorter than the time from landing to the arrivals hall. Again especially if you are dumped out in the cold at the South Gates.

It always amuses me the way they check your boarding pass at least 5 times before you are on the plane!

circular flexing

Padre_Pio wrote: »

T1 isn't that bad, just a long walk from Ryanair.

T2 is confusing to depart, as you check in on the ground floor, but security is on the second, but that's to make arriving much more pleasant experience as security, baggage and exit and busses don't require a floor change.

No one complains about their dozens of boring airport experiences.

T2 arrivals is upstairs too so you need to cross the walkway and go down to get to buses, taxis etc. Some of the bus services are a fair trek away from T2.

Noxegon

Inquitus wrote: »

It always amuses me the way they check your boarding pass at least 5 times before you are on the plane!

This. I love the way there’s a check at both ends of gates with airbridges - and how there’s always someone who’s put the pass away and needs to root around to find it again.

Kewreeuss

well, mayhem at terminal 1 this afternoon!
Over an hour to get through security to fly out.

silver2020

I hope the OP never has to travel through Birmingham - singularly the worst and most ignorant "security" people in the world and phenomenally slow.
And its not from just one experience - I travel there several times a year and yet to have one positive experience at their security check.

Spanish Eyes

Airports all over are an endurance test for us all. Some airports flow better than others, but there is no escaping the Q for security anywhere. 2 hours pre departure is the minimum necessary nowadays to avoid cardiac arrests and even then that can be tight.

Get the DA app. Shows the gates far quicker than the overhead screens. They want to keep us corralled in the food courts/shops.

goingnowhere

No business passengers today, lots of once off travelers and kids. Chaos.

Nigel Fairservice

I find Dublin ok for the most part. I've never had a run in with an ASU officer but I have seen them be very rude to other people on a few occasions. The last time was just before Christmas and the officer in charge treated a girl in front of me like she she was some kind of idiot because she couldn't follow her instructions. The girl in the queue didn't have the greatest English. The woman dealing with her was excessive.

The worst I've seen was in JFK years ago when the search officers told everyone to take off their shoes and when everyone did they held their noses and started spraying air fresheners all over the place while collectively telling everyone in the line how badly their feet stank.

robertpatterson

I like Dublin airport I've never had a bad experience there, OP should go to Budapest airport for an experience of security officers. Two hours trying to get through and people missing their flights and connecting flights while they just had one line open

elperello

In Dublin as in any airport I hit the reset button and enter a state of mind approaching Zen.
I let the calm wash over me
I accept things will happen that I can't control.
Delays are factored in.
I expect to be lied to.
I know people will be unreasonable.

Works every time, don't knock it till you try it.

Tenzor07

I'm through Dublin airport multiple times a year and find the security check staff to be efficient and polite, and I've not experienced any examples of less than Professional behavior anytime I go through, be it at the Fasttrack or the normal security line...

Follow some basic rules, have all the usual items out and on the tray, smile, be polite, if you're asked something then reply with a respectful tone in your voice, if you do all of this you will NEVER have an issue, be it in Dublin or anywhere else.

Try backchat to a security check in agent at certain other airports and you'll find yourself being led off to a more "thorough" search...!

Spanish Eyes

Tenzor07 wrote: »

I'm through Dublin airport multiple times a year and find the security check staff to be efficient and polite, and I've not experienced any examples of less than Professional behavior anytime I go through, be it at the Fasttrack or the normal security line...

Follow some basic rules, have all the usual items out and on the tray, smile, be polite, if you're asked something then reply with a respectful tone in your voice, if you do all of this you will NEVER have an issue, be it in Dublin or anywhere else.

Try backchat to a security check in agent at certain other airports and you'll find yourself being led off to a more "thorough" search...!

Correct, the SNAP of the blue gloves will sort any idiot out

lawred2

Strumms wrote: »

Must just have been a bad day. All of of the ASUs in Dublin are great, professional and efficient guys and gals. Better than any of the airports I’ve travelled out of in fact especially in terms of friendliness and efficiency... could just have been under pressure time of the year and everything.

My recent experience going though security at Dublin airport wouldn't back that up I'm afraid.

However I've never actually given airport security a second thought before on my many trips before so I concluded that we were just unlucky to have gotten a particular rude and obnoxious woman and that it was largely a once off.

Hate for it to become a thing.

lawred2

Strumms wrote: »

Amsterdam is a pain, Heathrow isn’t great but Stanstead has to be the worst... Gatwick is brilliant by miles the best London airport, security do their job but are courteous and professional.

Couldn't get over how friendly the security staff were in Gatwick last time we went through there.

trellheim

To the person complaining about Birmingham you've not gone through Stansted recently I presume , they take the prize against some pretty stiff competition for the worst security experience in the UK and its a consistently ( I mean every time) atrocious place to be.


Gatwick shines out (south terminal) as what every other airport should aspire to, even at peak hours there is essentially no queueing , they made a conscious effort a few years back to pick up their socks and it really really shows.

What bugs me is it means more time airside spending money but only Gatwick seems to have realised this, if you get the punters through the turnstiles quickly they will have more time and feel better about spending more. They also have the latest MRI scanners so much better for security throughput

Dublin is no stranger to this argument

T2 still using old style trays and rollers cos daa dont want to shell out for modern faster belts , admittedly T2 screening hall needs to be expanded but they have tons of room to do so backwards towards the escalators

Both T1 and T2 screening still suffers from the same oul problem - cant be bothered to put on enough staff to run all the belts . Next time you go through at peak check out all the idle belts eg T1 never put on more than 10 out of 14 even at busiest summer because they can not be arsed to do so. ( and every punter pays in their airfare for individual screening so the more people through, the more money DAA makes )

Spanish Eyes

Bottom line is that most airports are sh!t anyway and it doesn't make airport operators care either. As Trellheim above said, Gatwick South got their act together though. Fair dues to them.

In fairness DA is not the worst. But could be improved a lot I think. The experience is just queuing for everything and even the food places are rammed all the time. But I always think of the destination not the departure airport!

Wesser

at least you only had your aerosol checked.
in an airport in the u s recently a female security member just grabbed both my boobs ( through my jumper) without asking as my under wire bra set off the alarm.

Credit Checker Moose

I can tell you one thing that fast track is worth every cent. Use it every time I have to use the airport.

Strumms

Ready4Boarding wrote: »

Deleted post snipped.

I’ve been security screened at Dublin airport both as an airport employee and a regular traveler..I’d guesstimate that I’ve presented myself for screening around 500 times per year for the last 10 years plus. My colleagues are ALL of the same opinion as I am.

So the only outrageous element of what’s being discussed here is being typed by your fingers..

The fact to that you can’t even engage in the discussion without resorting to abusing posters says everything anyone needs to know about the validity or lack of, of your ‘contributions.

Stovepipe

I work there and some of the security screeners are on a power trip. Just a few days ago, one of my colleagues was given the third degree over alleged nails in his rucksack. Turned out to be his lunch fork. Cue outrage and a lecture in "you shudda...". Soem of the screeners are clearly unaware, to say the least.

Padre_Pio

Stovepipe wrote: »

I work there and some of the security screeners are on a power trip. Just a few days ago, one of my colleagues was given the third degree over alleged nails in his rucksack. Turned out to be his lunch fork. Cue outrage and a lecture in "you shudda...". Soem of the screeners are clearly unaware, to say the least.

On the flip side I brought a steel gun looking device in my carry on. Got pulled on it as expected and once I explained what it was I was on my way, no bother.

Just be kind and respectful and you'll get through easy enough.

Strumms

Airports where I’ve traveled out of and found the screeners less than ‘efficient’ and less than friendly...

Stansted - gruff and rude and slow and lazy beyond belief. Will have you stand there waiting to be called through the scanner while they finish whatever conversation they have started...basically the worst airport I’ve been to.

Paris - CDG.. much more efficient but less than friendly...

BlackandGreen

Tenzor07 wrote: »

I'm through Dublin airport multiple times a year and find the security check staff to be efficient and polite, and I've not experienced any examples of less than Professional behavior anytime I go through, be it at the Fasttrack or the normal security line...

Follow some basic rules, have all the usual items out and on the tray, smile, be polite, if you're asked something then reply with a respectful tone in your voice, if you do all of this you will NEVER have an issue, be it in Dublin or anywhere else.

Try backchat to a security check in agent at certain other airports and you'll find yourself being led off to a more "thorough" search...!

Such condescending bollocks.