Dublin Airport Mayhem

Last time I returned from Donegal, some years back, I had to go through quite a long queue at passport along with arrivals from USA etc. I had an alternative form of ID which can be used domestically and they hummed and hawed about letting me past without passport, then after consulting with a security colleague they said they indeed had to let me through as passport definitely not required for travel within Ireland. But the set-up was ad hoc, they took my word I had arrived off a domestic flight and didn’t ask to see any proving documentation. So they definitely weren’t set-up to segregate domestic and foreign arrivals.

Btw I found (in non Covid times) DAA do respond to Twitter. I was in a very long queue some years back with absolute chaos at security, people were missing flights. Whilst in the queue I sent a tweet thread and got a quick response of apology, with more staff coming on board in jig time. Queue suddenly speeded up.

I always advocate tweeting an organisation if there are problems, it’s really the best way of resolving a real-time situation, as big organisations have people employed to monitor the feed.

The worst airport I have ever been in regarding queues in immigration/transit is Newark Liberty. Had to go through 8 departments/queues coming from Guayaquil via Panama to Newark transiting to Dublin. Dreadful airport, one of those 8 queues lasted an hour. Most stressful transit I ever made and that was with things going normally/smoothly. I hate when I’m routed through US when going to South America etc. There is an exception, San Francisco is a good airport in my experience. Maybe there are others too.

I’m saying that Ryanair contacted customers advising them to add an extra hour to their checkin time. Not DAA or Ireland. Ryanair. Sensible people heeded that advice. One didn’t and missed their flight. Travelling at peak times always led to delays. Staff absences due to Covid have added to the problems this Christmas.

I’m saying this in several threads, and maybe I’m talking out of my @rse but I have a strong inkling that Covid+Society are going to learn to live together amicably within the year. Anybody I know with it isn’t actually really sick, they are eating their full dinners etc, just isolating out of convention/requirement. The convention will become “carry on as normal” same as with a mild type of cold. It all depends on mutations of course, but it’s found a nice equilibrium they way it wants to. Dublin airport staff as with everywhere else will be full of Covid and so will you and I and we’ll mostly be getting in with our lives. I’m quite optimistic in a way I haven’t been heretofore.

Also flew on Monday. Got there at half 6 and got through security at 8. Had to sprint for the flight and just about made it. Lots of people missed the London one at 8.

I don't know how other airlines are doing doc checks. Flying from Dublin-Chicago in August and November. Loads of people standing in the Verifly line with no Verifly. Massive amounts of luggage. I fly with the bare minimum and I deal with anxiety so I know I have to be on the ball otherwise I'd have a meltdown.