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The DUB Passport/Immigration Queue Thread

180567

Would anyone know if anything is being done to solve the issues at Terminal one passport control ? Extremely long queues for passengers arriving in the evenings. An hour or more seems to be the new normal now.

There seems to be a real problem with the number of inbound flights after 10 and not having enough passport control staff to cope with the numbers. For some reason Terminal two is not affected and it never takes more than five minutes to get through there. I see in T1 they are scanning the passport through a scanner machine now so I think that is what is also slowing it all down.

I'm kind of surprised Ryanair haven't been on going bonkers about this as it's really affecting their passengers rather than anyone elses. Any of their evening flights arriving later than 10 are going to be caught up in these massive queues. After being caught up in the long queues a couple of times I'd really think twice before I'd book a T1 evening arriving flight again. Regardless of the price I'd now pay the extra to go Aer Lingus through T2 just to avoid that.

We're not even into the peak summer holiday season so I don't know what it is going to be like come July or august.

I can think of a few ways to improve the system myself - separate the UK \ common travel area arriving passengers like they do at Gatwick where people show their boarding card to confirm they are traveling from the UK. Or loads more of the automatic scanner gates.

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Negative_G

Avada wrote: »

The Veteran has already pointed out that there are more staff than booths most of the time (further back in the thread). Staffing shortages were a problem, they aren't anymore.

Well then that begs the question as to what the staff are actually doing if not performing what I suspect is their primary duty?

If that is correct then it seems the Immigration staff are pointing the finger at the DAA, and the DAA are burying their heads in the sand. Outstanding.

Avada

Negative_G wrote: »

Well then that begs the question as to what the staff are actually doing if not performing what I suspect is their primary duty?

If that is correct then it seems the Immigration staff are pointing the finger at the DAA, and the DAA are burying their heads in the sand. Outstanding.

This is going round in circles. The immigration hall has limited capacity and a limited number of booths. You physically cannot fit the amount of passengers that land at peak time through that amount of booths

Avada

trellheim wrote: »

Untrue; there is no requirement to provide a passport for a CTA flight. If there was, we'd need passports for the Belfast train or the Aircoach.

.

Where did I mention the CTA?

trellheim

DAA run a carpark that happens have a runway out the back. Look at their twitter feed ( for a recurring case of "not-our-problem-itis" )

trellheim

This is going round in circles. The immigration hall has limited capacity and a limited number of booths. You physically cannot fit the amount of passengers that land at peak time through that amount of booths

I fully agree. You make an excellent point. Segregate CTA passengers as per UK and it will solve the problems immediately. There is absolutely zero data or evidence to show that tying officers up in 100% checking makes any difference whatsoever.

Did you mention CTA ? No. You said passport checking was not optional. I countered by saying that passport checking was indeed optional for CTA passengers.

hu!me

Passport checks are not optional for non EU passengers arriving on CTA flights.

Spanish Eyes

Avada wrote: »

This is going round in circles. The immigration hall has limited capacity and a limited number of booths. You physically cannot fit the amount of passengers that land at peak time through that amount of booths

DAA again to blame. They provide the immigration space (AFAIK), and they sure haven't made it welcoming for anyone.

Michael O'Leary is right DAA is a disgrace. They only invest in money making schemes like franchises, shops, pubs and food.

Their first priority should be to ensure arriving passengers have a good experience of DA. All the pink shirted wannabes funnelling people this way and that around barriers galore is a joke. A little power is a dangerous thing there. But I honestly don't blame the pink shirt power shower. They are working with a disaster of an immigration hall.

What do the landing fees, taxes and charges that we all pay for go on?

It certainly isn't to get you landed and out optimally.

INIS and GNIB are given what they are given. If you only have say 7 channels, it doesn't matter if 20 staff are available to process. They just can't do it.

Aaargh.

JCX BXC

hu!me wrote: »

Passport checks are not optional for non EU passengers arriving on CTA flights.

Well why is this not the same in the UK? Why do I just walk off my flight into the domestic arrivals and not meet a person? I could be from the moon for all the UK officials know, they haven't checked my passport.

You sure about that?

trellheim

No hu!me is correct. My mistake. CTA passport checks only apply to non-nationals ( sec 11 of the 2004 Immigration act ) i Have stated this several times in posts above but it was omitted this time. If you are Irish walk on through.

The UK manage this problem with random checks, targeting their officers to where they will do the most good.

Avada

JCX BXC wrote: »

You sure about that?

Yes.

11.—(1) Every person (other than a person under the age of 16 years) landing in the State shall be in possession of a valid passport or other equivalent document, issued by or on behalf of an authority recognised by the Government, which establishes his or her identity and nationality to the satisfaction of an immigration officer.

(2) Every person landing in or embarking from the State shall furnish to an immigration officer such information in such manner as the immigration officer may reasonably require for the purposes of the performance of his or her functions.

(3) A person who contravenes this section shall be guilty of an offence.

(4) This section does not apply to any person (other than a non-national) coming from or embarking for a place in the State, Great Britain or Northern Ireland.

TheChizler

hu!me wrote: »

Passport checks are not optional for non EU passengers arriving on CTA flights.

Surely there could be a quick visual "citizenship check" and you get diverted to the passport check if needed?

Avada

TheChizler wrote: »

Surely there could be a quick visual "citizenship check" and you get diverted to the passport check if needed?

Ah yes, the "ah, you've a big Irish head on ya" check

hu!me

Different countries different rules and objectives I assume, given the terrorism threat in the UK and number of illegal immigrants living there, I for one am glad there are at least some checks on those arriving from the UK.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

TheChizler

Avada wrote: »

Ah yes, the "ah, you've a big Irish head on ya" check

Or, you know, looking at your documents.

JCX BXC

How does one identify a national from a non-national? Could someone simply say that they are a national?

hu!me

Isn't a quick visual citizenship check the same as producing your boarding card and drivers licence... you know this is the current set up at passport control.

TheChizler

hu!me wrote: »

Isn't a quick visual citizenship check the same as producing your boarding card and drivers licence... you know this is the current set up at passport control.

But they also scan passports, ask you questions, check your visa if necessary. Surely there could be a fast queue where this isn't applicable?

hu!me

Looking at documents is what passport control does, if you get the DAA to do this they would need to be trained as document experts, which is what passport control does.

Avada

TheChizler wrote: »

Or, you know, looking at your documents.

Yes, it's called Immigration, it's there now.

Believe it or not, people like to use false documents (and documents that aren't their own) to circumvent immigration. A quick visual check by someone from DAA would not suffice to detect that.

trellheim

As I said above the CTA did not waver on the UK side even with a terror level at the highest.

Avada

trellheim wrote: »

As I said above the CTA did not waver on the UK side even with a terror level at the highest.

Good for them. They're a different country.

TheChizler

Avada wrote: »

Yes, it's called Immigration, it's there now.

Believe it or not, people like to use false documents (and documents that aren't their own) to circumvent immigration. A quick visual check by someone from DAA would not suffice to detect that.

I never suggested just someone from DAA. I'm talking someone from passport control assessing whether you should go through the regular passport checks or not based on your citizenship. Basically the same checks they give people when they want to be quick, but just a queue they have in parallel to the regular ones that does this for Ireland and UK Citizens only. Not too different from what they do in UK airports already.

Avada

TheChizler wrote: »

I never suggested just someone from DAA. I'm talking someone from passport control assessing whether you should go through the regular passport checks or not based on your citizenship. Basically the same checks they give people when they want to be quick, but just a queue they have in parallel to the regular ones that does this for Ireland and UK Citizens only. Not too different from what they do in UK airports already.

The regular passport check takes about 20 seconds per person at most. What you suggest would not save any time at all.

TheChizler

Avada wrote: »

The regular passport check takes about 20 seconds per person at most. What you suggest would not save any time at all.

People here 10 minutes ago were saying it's scanning the passport and follow up questions is what makes a 5 second process 20 seconds. Would removing this not speed up the queue greatly?

I'm saying look at the country of citizenship line on your passport or drivers licence or other acceptable document, and if it doesn't say Ireland or UK you're in the wrong queue. No different to what they do in quieter airports around the country.

Spanish Eyes

Ok, quick give me a guideline here for skipping the EU queue and just entering my own country.

I honestly don't think I'd have the cojones to do it (fear of others beating me up rather than immigration!)

But would love to give it a go given the legislation.

UK is just so sensible, and randomly checking or profiling or whatever. Surely airlines have all that information that could be passed on.

I am getting a bit of a rebel streak in me now. But I am nervous about chancing it, i.e. breezing to the top of the queue and marching out. Yikes.

hu!me

Possibly a long term solution but would require a larger immigration hall with more booths which would likely solve the problem of queues anyway.

Avada

TheChizler wrote: »

People here 10 minutes ago were saying it's scanning the passport and follow up questions is what makes a 5 second process 20 seconds. Would removing this not speed up the queue greatly?

A visual check is not sufficient for detecting a forged document. Scanning it is the quickest way to do it, which is what they do at present.

Avada

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Ok, quick give me a guideline here for skipping the EU queue and just entering my own country.

I honestly don't think I'd have the cojones to do it (fear of others beating me up rather than immigration!)

But would love to give it a go given the legislation.

UK is just so sensible, and randomly checking or profiling or whatever. Surely airlines have all that information that could be passed on.

I am getting a bit of a rebel streak in me now. But I am nervous about chancing it, i.e. breezing to the top of the queue and marching out. Yikes.

I reckon that before you get near the immigration booths, you'd be throttled by a bunch of drunk passengers queuing ahead of you... :P

trellheim

Good for them. They're a different country.

Indeed they are, I'd never noticed, thanks for the fact-filled update. Well done on rubbishing the mirror example. the phrase "Common Travel" mean nothing to you here ? It was operated successfully in Dublin Airport for many, many years even after the 2004 act was passed.

Queues will drop to easy levels if CTA passengers are segregated.
This could happen tomorrow

Full conflict of interest : I do not work for DAA or any associated agencies.