Dublin Airport Security

picturehangup

If posted incorrectly, please move to the appropriate forum, mods.

Was en route to London last week, when security at Dublin decided to swab test my case, didn't think anything of it. Imagine my shock/horror/surprise when it checked positive for something, whatever they were testing for, be it drugs or explosives, etc. I really don't know.

The guy ran a second test, same thing, and a supervisor was called over. I was taken back through, in front of everyone, and frisked and searched everywhere, and my case was taken apart, and tested, etc. Of course nothing was found and I was allowed to proceed with my journey. The supervisor noted my passport number and flight details.

I have a squeaky clean record which I wish to retain due to the nature of my work, and I am now wondering whether my passport no. has been flagged by security for extensive scrutiny on further trips, and whether this can be revoked or rescinded?

I have no idea what trace of whatever was on my case, which was stored in a the garage of a house we purchased last October. I know the previous owner was into carpentry and he may have had some chemicals which contaminated my case. The supervisor said it happens all the time, but I still am wondering about what might be highlighted on my passport that I have not been informed of.

Would appreciate some advice if anyone can offer same. TIA

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058336806/dublin-airport-security

Happened to me in Sweden once. Same lark, patted down and everything checked and passport recorded (I had been there to visit a chemical/turpentine plant so might have been it).

Anyway, has been completely irrelevant in my 100+ flights since. I wouldn't worry at all.

Padre_Pio

One work colleague was flying home from Chicago through Heathrow and he was swabbed.

It must have picked up gunshot residue from the gun range he was at, he was questioned for about 10 mins, but he had some pics from the range and they let him go. Nothing ever came of it.

I reckon they are only doing their routine job taking down passport number. Imagine, God forbid, the plain actually exploded mid flight, at least they’d have specific data to re-examine

Strumms

Don’t know if the DAA ETD is set up to test for drugs… im imagining not as there would be no reason to. A bag of coke won’t bring a plane down… and really that’s all they should be interest in… Q’s are long enough without being caught behind a coke head, jeeeez the Q’s are bad enough…

But certainly it will be testing for explosives. There are tiny minute levels of ingredients of explosives that are found in everyday household items, like cleaning products that can set the machine off depending on the sensitivity settings and levels of residue swabbed ….. so if a person works in a certain industrial area and he wears a work jacket…. Beep…

goingnowhere

A record is kept of all invasive searches, nothing happens. If there was a problem do you think you would be let on the plane??

I got stopped at a EU location, swabbed and it lit up for TNT, armed cops arrive, quick chat, look at passport, off I went.

suvigirl

Security don't know who you are when you rock up at the airport. You don't show them any passport. They won't know you in future.

I wouldn't worry about it.

I get swabbed often, one time (not at Dublin airport) I had a bullet in my bag (accidentally) was held for a while and questioned, then off with me. Never an issue in that country or even the same airport afterwards.

Suvarnabhumi

Rather than start a new thread....

My friend travelled to the UK from Dublin last week. He didn't realise until his way home that he brough his old passport by mistake. He got through security in Dublin and Liverpool without any issues. Is this an oversight on the part of security? I haven't been to the UK in a few years, so not sure if passports get scanned or just glanced at, at the gate.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121796184#Comment_121796184

Security don't check passports full stop - it has nothing to do with security.

Passports don't get scanned, and while airline rules differ, you don't require one to go to the UK if you are Irish anyway.

EchoIndia

I was on a flight DUB-STN yesterday and UK police were asking to see passports at the foot of the aircraft steps before boarding the bus to terminal, so having a passport on me was a definite advantage!

Suvarnabhumi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121796419#Comment_121796419

Would an out of date passport be accepted as photo ID?

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121797182#Comment_121797182

Wouldn't think so, but it's something that would be easy enough to miss while they are quickly scanning it at the gate. What did they do on return to Ireland at passport control?

easygoing39

The only country who actively scan and look carefully at your passport are American emigration officals,they might get a record that your passport number was noted.So if you're not going to America I would'nt worry about it.

Suvarnabhumi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121797189#Comment_121797189

He showed his passport to the person at that counter and they waved him through.

Podge_irl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121797197#Comment_121797197

All of Schengen scan your passport on entry.

suvigirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121797220#Comment_121797220

You don't need a passport to travel between Ireland and the UK

Allinall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121797305#Comment_121797305

Yes. But you need to be able to show you are entitled to travel without a passport i.e. that you are either an Irish or UK citizen.

How do you do that without a passport?

suvigirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121797324#Comment_121797324

I get what you're saying but really when has anyone been asked if they're entitled to travel without one? There are other forms of ID too.

Last couple of times I flew to England, No one was checking passports that side at all.

seansouth35

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058336806/dublin-airport-security

Years ago when I lived in Dubai, I used to get stopped every single time on arrival for about 2 months: bag opened, questioned etc. I was doing some work with Emirates at the time and one of the VPs there said the same thing happened to him and he found a small device attached to his case that flagged him every time. He removed the device and never got stopped again. I checked my case and found a small RFID strip on the bottom of my case - binned it and never got stopped again. Wonder if other airports do the same?

Nolimits

I was flying home solo from Canada last year and got talking to a Canadian guy who was flying to Dublin also solo.

He said to me that he only had 4 months left on his passport and would this be an issue, a quick Google and it looked like he needed 6 months and he might get turned away. He was meeting his girlfriend who was travelling through Ireland as a surprise and was going to ask her to marry him. He pointed out that he was leaving a few days later and going to Italy, who only require 3 months and asked if this might help his case.

I said to him that it might, that Ireland might be one of the countries where some kind of exception might get made, but he might have a problem with the airline not letting him on the flight.

We weren't on the same flights, but I wished him luck and followed each other on instagram, I asked him to let me know how he got on, I felt a bit invested in his story and would like to know how it ended. I got a message the next day saying they barely glanced at his passport and it was no problem getting though.

(She said yes)

IngazZagni

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121797160#Comment_121797160

They would have accepted a driving licence for this. Ryanair might not have but the police would have. I've shown my driving licence to immigration on Ireland UK flights that had the odd spot check.

Marcusm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121797197#Comment_121797197

That’s rubbish; on entry to the Schengen area, your passport is scanned and logged. It’s then rescanned on exit. This latter action is not done in the US which relies on airline data.

Geuze

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121808829#Comment_121808829

Does that happen to a Schengen resident visiting Ireland?

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121797324#Comment_121797324

I have a driving licence showing my place of birth as Ireland, before the jus soli referendum passed. It proves I am entitled to Irish citizenship

I make a point of never, ever using my passport to fly or take the ferry to GB; but not flying Ryanair is a requisite there.

suvigirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121809600#Comment_121809600

Ireland is not in schengen, therefore we control our own border. They don't log anything to do with schengen.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121809600#Comment_121809600

They will have had it scanned at Schengen exit; wherever that was.

Geuze

Ok, thanks.

A French person travelling here - do we scan their passport twice, on entry and exit?

Or only on arrival?

Or never, just wave it through?

VG31

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121812070#Comment_121812070

Only on entry. There are no exit border controls here.

tb66

This incident at Dublin security seems bizarre and totally insensitive to say the least..

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/i-sat-and-cried-the-whole-way-on-the-flight-woman-forced-to-remove-breast-prosthesis-at-dublin-airport-security-terminal/a1450104983.html