Thousands of passengers are expected to pass through Dublin Airport over the Bank Holiday weekend as many take the opportunity to head on abroad.
However, after the chaos last weekend, which saw over 1,000 passengers miss their flights, some new measures that passengers should be aware of have been introduced.
The operators of Dublin Airport, daa, have said that passengers are to arrive at the airport at least two-and-a-half hours before the departure of short-haul flights to Europe and the UK and at least three-and-a-half hours for long-haul flights.
Read More: Dublin Airport passengers may have to queue up to an hour outside in the rain, DAA CEO admits
It said at times when the terminals are particularly busy, they will only allow passengers that have flights departing within two-and-a-half hours to short-haul destinations and three-and-a-half for long-haul destinations into the terminal.
Passengers who arrive too early for their flights will be asked to wait in a passenger holding area, with special consideration being given to those who require special assistance and those Important Flyers travelling with autism.
If you have no other choice but to arrive earlier than these designated times, ensure to bring some waterproof clothes or an umbrella as no rain cover will be provided this weekend.
Here are some other essential pieces of information you may need.
When should I arrive?
Dublin Airport advises that you allow 2.5 hours before a short-haul flight and 3.5 hours before a long-haul flight.
If you are checking in a bag, allow up to an hour of additional time. Airline check-in desk and bag drop opening times vary, so contact your airline to confirm and plan your journey accordingly.
You can also view check-in times by airline and by terminal below.
- Security in T1 is now open 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- Security in T2 opens at 04.00, so people flying from T2 should factor this in.
When are peak times?
At the moment, peak times at Security can occur in Terminal 1 from 5am to 8am for morning flights and in Terminal 2 from 5am to 12pm for morning and early afternoon flights.
Terminal 1 has a second peak time at Security between 5pm to 7pm for evening flights. Weekends (especially bank holiday weekends) can be busy all day (weekends include Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday).
How security queue times shown are calculated
In Terminal 1, the queue time shown is measured from Check-in Area 7, i.e. it covers extended queuing within the departures floor. However, if the queue goes beyond this point, that part of the queue time is not captured.
In Terminal 2, the queue time shown is measured from the top of the escalators on the Level 2, i.e. it covers queuing across that area. However, if the queue goes beyond this point, that part of the queue time is not captured.
The security queue times displayed represent the median queue time that it took passengers to complete the security screening process in the previous 15 minutes, i.e. they are not fully real-time.
How to be prepared for Security
- Ideally, only one piece of hand baggage per person. Check with your airline their cabin hand baggage allowance.
- Separate out liquids, gels, and pastes from your hand baggage into one single, clear one-litre plastic bag with each container no bigger than 100ml.
- No sharp objects and have all electronic devices out and in the tray, along with shoes, jackets, coins, and jewellery. If you need to remove jewellery, please put it in your bag.
What about Covid restrictions
It is important to check the Covid requirements of the country you are travelling to ensure all is in order for your arrival, as these restrictions differ from place to place.
If you require a COVID-19 test for your travel destination, you can use a local test centre near you, or Randox is a private company operating at Dublin Airport. To find out more, click here.
Face masks
As of Monday, May 16, face coverings are not mandatory in airports in Ireland or on-board aircraft
What if I am delayed or miss my flight in queues?
The Dublin Airport website reads: “If your travel plans were impacted by security queues at Dublin Airport, we apologise for the poor experience you had and the inconvenience caused. Please download and complete the form below and attach receipts for all reasonable out of pocket expenses that you incurred, e.g. a rebooked flight, additional accommodation, and transport costs. Please submit this to customerexperience@dublinairport.com. Each submission will be reviewed on a case by case basis and our Customer Experience team will be in contact with you in due course.”
Click here to download the Passenger Expenses Claim Form
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