Dublin Airport Memories

A bit random this but was thinking back to my memories of Dublin airport as a kid and wondered what other people remember. I used to go out and spend a week with my cousin in Swords in the summer holidays and used to go up to the airport every day to “plane spot”.

This would have been the late 80s when I was about 10. I remember going in on the arrivals level where they had security checks at the door where airport police would check bags, There was an escalator straight ahead up to departures level with only the BurgerKing to the right – that was as far at the terminal extended. I think that it was the Failte Bar before that but obviously was too young to indulge at the time.

I remember the departures level having just 3 check in areas all with thin white light strips mainly with the Aer Lingus logo. Area 1 was over by the toilets and Bank of Ireland and was for US flights and had a back and front. Area 2 was in the centre and was for Europe and UK Provincial and then just across from the escalator to the other side was London check in. I remember that they had different colour check in tags for the different destinations I remember LHR being read, LGW being green and DUB being a light blue. I think around that time they managed to add more check in space with another 2 sided rectangular area in the main floor becoming the London check in area for Aer Lingus and others and the older London check in area becoming the check in area for Ryanair and C;ub Air and then Virgin. They seemed really modern at the time having a creamy plastic look and I remember them having electronic displays instead of signs hung from them as they had at the previous check in desks.

The only shops I remember on the departures level was a newsagent/sweet shop between the check in areas and then a Hughes and Hughes book shop just behind which was beside the departure gares which led down towards the old B /300 gates. I remember even before that being able to see my Granny walking along post security check to the departure gates from the windows there and having a good view down.

I remember then each summer going up to the airline offices and asking for timetables/postcards or anything else that might have appealed. I know the offices are still there but it seemed so exotic back then the signs outside the offices of the different airlines.

One of my strongest memories is of the Link Building the long corridor down towards the old A/200 gates which was then landside with a long row of non descript offices on the right. I think the first door was actually the Aer Lingus business lounge but after that it was just doors and between the doors were these large white panels that had sketches of major buildings/sites from many different cities, On the opposite side looking out the windows were sets of 4 brown seats for people just to look at the planes that felt so close. I remember the Shorts 360s used to taxi real close and usually up to 3 would park in a row just in front of the window.

There was one stand just in front of B28 where jets would park and use steps in front of the airbridge gates and it was great just looking at the crew boarding, then the passengers going up the steps and figuring out where they were going to. Flying just seemed so much more exotic in those days. Sitting there it was almost overpowering the smell of aviation fuel . My absolute favourite sound was the explosion of the old BAC111s starting up their engines.

The seats ended but you could still go down the corridor a bit further and get to a very sweet spot through another set of doors that led to stairs down a level. This was only a small space (and might have been moved on from it once or twice) but gave a perfect view of the planes taking off and landing on the old runway 23. All departing flights would taxi right by the window going down to runway 23. If I remember right I think the 3 Aer Lingus 747s left at 1130/1300/1430 in the summer and the excitement of seeing the nose of the 747 emerging from one side of the A pier and turn to taxi by the window we were at used to fill me with excitement each and every time.

Thar area was all closed off eventually but still have great memories of it. I remember then the best place to spot was up on the top floor to the right of the escalator where I think there was the restaurant overflow area and then essentially a long gallery with seats where you could look over the apron. I think that was added a bit after my first visits to the airport. I think originally that when you went up that escalator you could only go left to the main restaurant or straight ahead into a posh restaurant –obviously never went there!!

Spent so long looking at the flight info screens – remember them being brown and having blue writing and just like chunky TV screens.