Gráinne Ní Aodha, PA
The operators of Dublin Airport have said queues are moving “smoothly” on Saturday morning, with a maximum wait to get through security of under an hour at the busiest period.
The airport has come under pressure from the public and the Government over long queues last weekend which caused more than 1,000 passengers to miss their flights.
Ahead of the Bank Holiday weekend, the DAA had said 10 per cent more staff were working and double the number of security lanes were open compared to last weekend.
The DAA said that from 4am on Saturday there were 11 security lanes open in both Terminal 1 and 2, with a “maximum queue time of 59 mins in T1 prior to 6am and 40 mins in T2”.
Queue times at 6.30am were 30 minutes in T1 and 19 minutes in T2, it added.
The DAA plans to introduce holding areas for passengers who arrive too early for their scheduled flight.
Short-haul car parks at both terminals, as well as the area outside the terminals where passengers have been queueing, may be used from next week onward during busy periods.
Passengers moving smoothly through departures once again this morning. This is the scene as departing passengers approach T1 at 7am. We wish everyone flying an enjoyable journey. ✈️ pic.twitter.com/J3z9SMDl7a
— Dublin Airport (@DublinAirport) June 4, 2022
“We do not envisage the need to deploy it this weekend,” the DAA said.
More than 200,000 people are expected to travel through Dublin Airport this bank holiday weekend.
Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris said on Thursday that there would have to be consequences for DAA management if the scenes from last weekend are replicated in the days to come.
“I think a lot of people in this country are getting fed up of senior management hiding behind politicians when it comes to actually doing their job.
“People are paid to do services.
“I think the plan they have published looks to me to be robust, it looks to me to be sensible. But the implementation of that plan will be key.”
He continued: “If the plan isn’t delivered there will have to be consequences.”
When asked whether there should be consequences for DAA management if their plan does not deliver this weekend, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the focus was on accommodating passengers and workers’ pay.
“Serious questions need to be asked in terms of what has happened here. And serious lessons need to be learned.
“The focus has to be to ensure that Dublin Airport performs to previous standards in respect of the number and volume of passengers that they can accommodate on an ongoing basis and in terms of the treatment of its workers as well, in terms of the various pay issues.
“So that’s where the focus is now,” Mr Martin said.
