Passengers travelling abroad this summer will undoubtedly be slightly nervous about making it through airport security lines in time for their flight after the chaos experienced at Dublin Airport on Sunday.
Lengthy queues caused by insufficient staffing resulted in over 1,000 passengers missing their flights and connecting flights elsewhere.
Most people don't enjoy spending excessive time waiting around the airport before they jet off, but this may now be a necessity due to unpredictable queue times.
READ MORE: LIVE: Aer Lingus flight from Dublin Airport declares emergency over middle of Irish sea
However, some useful tips and tricks could help you move through security a lot faster and could be the difference in you catching or missing your flight.
Arrive in plenty of time
Arriving in plenty of time before your flight will stop you from panicking if things aren't running as smoothly as you had hoped.
Dublin Airport currently advises passengers to arrive 2.5 hours ahead of a short-haul flight and 3.5 hours ahead of a transatlantic flight as arriving too early can cause bottlenecks, and allowing an extra half hour on advised times for baggage check is plenty of additional time.
Then sit back and relax while waiting for your gate to open as your holiday starts now.
Look for shorter queues
This may seem very simple, but you would be surprised how many people will just follow behind the person ahead of them, especially if you're heading for an early or very late flight.
Have a good look around for the shortest queue, which is often the furthest away. This could see you relaxing in the lounge before your fellow travellers have even separated their liquids.
It's also a good idea to consider the types of passengers in the queue when picking a line to join.
Parents with young children and people who look like they may have too much carry-on may end up delaying you.
Smart packing
Consider if your toiletries really need to be in your carry-on. If you have a checked-in bag, it may be more time-efficient to put your liquids in there as this will avoid any disputes on whether or not it contains 100ml or 110ml.
If this can't be avoided, packing your 100ml bottles into a plastic bag and leaving it at the top of your luggage will save time. The same is true if taking a laptop with you.
As you need to remove these items for security checks, make sure they are accessible.
Only bring a carry-on
Coming back from a holiday at night can be an ordeal as you are already exhausted from travel. Brining just carry-on luggage not only saves you time when you arrive at the airport but also when you are going home.
Forking out the extra €12 may be all worth not having to stand beside the luggage carousel while you wait for your baggage.
Charge your devices
When you head to the airport, ensure that your phone is fully charged.
This will ensure that if your flight is delayed or there is a change in the boarding gate, your airline will notify you straight away.
It may also provide some much-needed entertainment if you do happen to be waiting a lot longer than you expected.
Get breaking news to your inbox by signing up to our newsletter.
