DUB Pax missing flights and being charged again to fly

[Irish Steve]

Intending passenger are being caught right in the middle of a complete shambles at DUB , and forced to pay twice for flights because of the incompetence of the Dublin Airport Authority.

Over the weekend, passengers were being delayed by up to 2 hours after check in due to massive queues at the airside security checks.

2 airlines have today confirmed that they are not refunding passengers who missed flights, while DAA say that the passengers must deal with the airlines after delays at security checks meant they missed their flights.

For more details, see thisthis (http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0418/airport.html)

DAA are recommending that passengers should allow "at least 90 minutes" for check in and security checks", with longer for transatlantic or international flights!!!

Dublin failed an official security audit last week, so security has been stepped up. The result is that passengers are missing flights!!

You have been warned.
:(

[Omaha]

Well I'm flying out of Dub next week though for once I'm thankful I'm travelling early in the morning (usually I dread early morning flights) :\

When I read about the queues and panic at Dublin airport as some people jostled with each out of fear of missing their flights and with some people waiting until two hours before they got through security I was frankly shocked. I believe the worse period starts at 10am and lasts into mid afternoon, can't remember exactly. At that time I hopefully will have nearly landed in Italy, local time, but I'm still aware with the new security arrangements that after I've checked my luggage in to gauge the queues and security, I'll maybe eat breakfast when I pass through security rather than I normally do before passing through security, though I doubt I'll have the same variety. I will not be taking any risks & hopefully given the time I'm travelling I will miss the worst! Another example of total incompetency at Dublin airport and the disdain in which Aer Rianta treat their customers. :ugh:

[Irish Steve]

Worst period is first thing in the morning, 5 am to 9 am, as there are a lot of local flights, and several trans atlantic flights all checking in at that time. it then goes quiet for a while, but there are other periods of pressure, and of course, the DAA have messed things up so badly, there's no way to be sure when the problems will happen.

All I can suggest is make sure that you arrive with time to spare, get through check in and security, they you can relax till the flight time.

[Omaha]

Mate

How much time should I give myself to get through security. I'm scheduled to fly out at 7:10 am. Looks like I'm not going to get much sleep that night, nothing ususual with these bleedin early morning flights anyway. :*

Hoping to use the EI 'Fastpass' system. It looks idiot proof, was trying it there online. I can even choose my own seat on the aircraft, important for me wanting a window seat not over the wing, my all these stipulations. It's great! :ok:

There goes my cooked Irish breakfast. :{

[Irish Steve]

check with EI what time checkin opens for the flight. I am guessing that they open at 5, so aim to be at the check in between 5 & 5:30, that gives you 90 minutes then to get through, which is what DAA are recommending at the moment!

If you're planning to drive to the airport and park in the long term, allow some extra time for that as well, the buses are not as frequent that early, and tend to get full as well.

Sounds crazy I know, but there are a lot of flights out that time of the morning, so there's always pressure on the gates.

Hope that helps

[Omaha]

If I'm using the Fastpass system why should it matter what time I check in. :confused:

I was told by Travel Agency to check in an hour and a half before flight I think but surely since I won't be checking in at the counter it doesn't matter when it opens or when I check my luggage through once its not in an unreasonable timespan. My only consideration I think is that I leave myself enough time to get through security. :ugh:

P.S I don't drive. At that hour of the morning, I get a taxi into town & then the Aircoach. Even the bleedin Luas on the red line near me is down, the whole country must be jinked. :\

You must work at the airport mate?

[Irish Steve]

My only consideration I think is that I leave myself enough time to get through security.

that's why they are saying 90 minutes. Security is after the fast pass, (if it's working), so even if you are shown as at the airport and checked in for the flight, you've got to get to the departure gate, and EI have already charged people that didn't get to the gate to rebook them on a later flight.

At that time of the morning, because of the number of flights that are departing, the queues for security are longer and slower, hence the advice to allow extra time.

If it's working OK, fastpass could save a few minutes queuing to actually check in, but that's all.

I used to work there, and still would if I had my way, but that's a story for another place and occasion

[RatherBeFlying]

When arriving at airport drop off buddy(s) and send them to join security line
park car
line up at check-in
after check-in, take buddy's place in line
It is advisable to have at least as many line holders as replacements to avoid protests from those behind.

[Omaha]

Well Irish Steve

Looks like your premonitions were right. I arrived in Dublin Airport at about 5.05am for a 7.10am flight & the place was like a zoo. It looked like the whole travelling public had panicked and everyone had congregated at the airport, many for hours & hours ahead of their flight I would imagine. I found it very intimidating. I sought out the 'Fastpass' machine & guess what the eh 'idiot proof' machine wouldn't work for me. :O

So I sought out a very nice & helpful EI employee who had eventually to come over & help me & it wouldn't work for her either. So she sent me over to a special desk with only one couple infront of me. :D The queues at the 'tag & drop' queues & elsewhere were a mile long, for some peculiar reason I had the impression the 'Fastpass' machine accepted ones luggage, obviously picked it up wrong, thought the idea very stange in the first place. I told her I couldn't see the point in using it & still having to wait ages in a queue to drop ones luggage off.

Anyway I was told at the desk the reason the machine wouldn't accept my reservation is because I was in a group. I was booked on a package but at this stage didn't know anyone in the group. It's important to be aware of this.

I passed quickly through security before the rush really started but should have waited for the nice Irish breakfast EI serve on board for €8 with a newspaper instead of partaking of the breakfast roll from a spartan menu on the other side of security.:yuk:

All this left me knackered the next day with a full days touring ahread of me still all's well that ends well. :ok:

[Irish Steve]

all's well that ends well

Happy to hear that, last weekend did again make the headlines, with over 30 flights delayed because of passengers not through in time.

Hopefuly, they will eventuall sort it out, there's at last talk of more staff and extra scanning machines, though how long that will take to get into place remains to be seen.

Cheers

[FlyingV]

Maybe it was luck, or just the time of day, but I flew out of Dublin last Wednesday morning.

Due to the warnings about queues, I arrived at the airport at 9am for an 11:20 flight.

Checked in with fastpass in seconds (it checked me in for my return flight that evening too - handy).

A queue of 3 people at security - yes three! 4 machines operating I think. Took seconds.

Boy, was I early for my flight!

[apaddyinuk]

Well, As someone who used to work as Ground staff for EI in dublin I am totally shocked at what I witnessed there about 2 weeks ago when traveling back to the uk! A little old lady who was obviously special needs as she was being pushed through in a wheel chair was told to get to her feet and walk through the detector...fair enough, but then she was told to take her shoes off. Now she couldnt even bend over to reach them and no one would help her. The gruff masculine female excuse for a security agent said that if she doesnt take her shoes off she wont be allowed to fly. At this point myself, (an old EI colleague I had been chatting too while in the line) and another business gentleman all had a go at the security person to which she then threatened to refuse myself and the other chap passage and threatened to take my friends airside ID off her. Fortunately for us the lady didnt realise that Im family friends with one of the old heads at airport police and then the S&%T hit the fan for this security lady and her colleagues who witnessed and refused to do anything. Fortunately the little lady didnt have to suffer the indignity of having to try and remove her shoes, i and the gent made the flight and my colleague kept her airside ID...The explanation given to us is that the security staff have been mandated to provide full and complete security searches in wake of the pathetic audit. Surely a firm check can still be done with a smile and a bit of common courtesy. What a lovely last impression of the Irish people this leaves. Im delighted to say I no longer work in that airport which is a real shame as I loved it once upon a time!

[Irish Steve]

Maybe it was luck, or just the time of day,

Yes and yes :D

worst time is 05 - 07, as that's when all the resident aircraft are going off for first rotations, and they tend to get back any time after 9, but not in a mad bunch in the same way.

The rumour is that DAA are employing an additional 120 security staff, and installing an additional 5 scanners, but I've not been able to positively confirm that yet.

Hopefully, things will improve a little for a while.

[840]

It was probably the time of day that helped, but a couple of weeks ago I arrived into Dublin at 19:35 on EI609. I was connecting to Cork and because of all I'd heard about problems at Dublin I'd booked the 22:30 flight to Cork rather than the 20:30. However, by 19:45 I was out in the departure hall and I asked Aer Arann if I could change my reservation the 20:30. No problem. I easily made it down to the gate in time, with less than 10 minutes queueing at security.

Some tables to help passengers organise themselves down at the security desk might help. I didn't have enough hands to take off my shoes and my belt, to remove my laptop from its case and put the case and my jacket through separately.

I don't suppose there's any chance of Dublin allowing connecting passengers to avoid exiting security and having to pass back in again when connecting?

[ExSimGuy]

Paddy in UK - pleased to hear that you were able to "scorch the @sses" of a few "Little Hitlers"

Most Security Personell (my experience not in DUB, but in LHR, PHL, and even in RUH!) are reasonable, but giving this much grief to a lady who had Special Needs seems totally a firing act :uhoh:

RUH customs (15 years ago) used to be a nightmare, but these days, immigration and customs is moderately fast, even when several wide-bodies are arriving. Can't the "paddies" even beat the Saudis??? Shame!