Dublin Airport by Ian Gallagher

12 August 2006

Use Dublin airport once a year, it is generally an okay experience. Staff are freindly and good service to the city, however during peak times the terminal can be chaotic, with people queuing all over the place. Self check in with Aer Lingus and Ryanair have improved check in ques, but the time you have saved at check in , tends to be spent at security. The worst part about Dublin is that if you transit from a domestic destination, you have to exit through customs , go up stairs to the check in area and pass through security again. The airport seems to have taken a leaf out of the low fares airlines book on transfers, they dont accommidate it. Dublin used to be a great airport as a transit point, with a transit lounge, now that is all gone.

Dublin Airport by Ryan McKeag

10 June 2006

Dublin Airport is simply terrible. I expect an airport to be crowded but I also expect to see activity to manage the crowd. If only those 'mystery suits' running the joint came down from the 4th and 5th floor and put themselves in the shoes of the customer perhaps some change would come!

Dublin Airport by Alan O'Mahoney

1 June 2006

Dublin is a dismal place to spend any length of time. It is old, shabby and has aged very badly. It is in desperate need of renewal amd extra facilities. The security screening area was packed. The passengers snaked back a huge distance and although the queue moved constantly it still took ages to get through to the Boarding gates. The airport's food outlets are very expensive and the choice is rather limited. It seems a great shame to me that our biggest airport is such a drab and uninspiring place. It reflects very badly on the city and the country for that matter. This is many peoples first view of Ireland and it is a very bad view of it. I hope when or if the new terminal is built they can offer better facilities for their customers as if they did they would have much happier customers.

Dublin Airport by Stephen Timmons

1 June 2006

OK until we got to the gate. Very crowded and chaotic, and then a last minute gate change that necessitated a sprint with an unenthusiastic 2-year-old from B26 to A12. Positive ; very friendly and pleasant staff at both security and check-in

Dublin Airport by G Atkinson

18 May 2006

US citizen here - while Dublin was decidedly shabby and somewhat decrepit in appearance (the airport not the city!) I found that everything was in working order, and the staff was very friendly and helpful. The plane left on time and there was plenty of food and seats about. I will take that to a shiny new American airport (many are anything but) with non functioning airtraffic control and baggage claims (ahem, Denver) and rude staff (LA) any day of the week. To the Irishman who was embarrassed by his airport I say you have the better deal - but yes a simple fresh coat of paint would go a long way.

Dublin Airport by Brian Murphy

28 April 2006

Although Irish, I also am embarrassed at the overall state of Dublin airport. On a recent flight which originated in Dubai, the contrast between the two airports was overwhelming. On arrival in Dublin, I was immediately struck by the chaos and overall grubbiness of the airport, especially in area C. The carpets here need immediate replacement. In addition, I could not believe the number of beer bottles lying around the cafes in this area, which were ultra-quiet at the time and the staff certainly did not look stressed. This leaves a very poor impression for any tourist or business person using the airport. I also agree with other passengers on the filthy state of the toilets in the airport. Furthermore, it is a real pity that the airport authorities continue to downgrade the number of notices in the Irish language in the airport. There are bilingual notices in places, but on arrival in Area C, one would think that one was arriving in England and not Ireland! This contrasts sharply to the corresponding situation in Wales, where bilingual notices are the norm, even in train stations. One plus comment however - the Priority Pass lounge in the airport is excellent - a welcome oasis of calm away from the chaos down-under! All one can hope for is that somebody in charge at Dublin airport in a position of authority would begin to read the comments of the users of this website, who have taken the time and trouble to offer some really constructive criticism and suggestions!

Dublin Airport by John Coghlan

20 April 2006

Departing Dublin Airport to London Stansted on Good Friday (14th Apr). Absolute nightmare - departures area has just got too damn small. Check- in at Ryanair desk took 5 minutes, however queues to go through security were winding up, down & around the check-in desks! Took 40-45 minutes to get through the queue & past security. Dublin Airport Authority staff were struggling to direct people who had checked in to the end of the queue, which led to people queue hopping. Someone in the queue asked a DAA staff member what would happen if they missed their flight due to the security delay - the response was a "nothing to do with me" shrug of the shoulders. The mind boggles - thankfully we had plenty of time to spare to get to our gate, but we could easily have missed our flight if we had happened to go for a coffee before going through security. As it turned out Ryanair ended up offloading 5 passengers bags due to the fact that they didn't turn up at the departure gate in time. Any chance some of them got caught in the queue at security gates instead of being in departures?

Dublin Airport by Amanda Cowan

2 April 2006

We are regular fliers through Dublin airport and couldn't agree more with the opinions of others on this forum. Security is tight but has become more relaxed as regards the shoe removal, toilets are disgusting (I was embarrassed to be Irish in the baggage hall on Monday) and the walk from the aircraft to baggage is terrible. What is also bad is the situation in the baggage hall when there are a ot of flights coming in, ou would be advised to leave an hour and half on those occasions. In terms of the food, they don' call Ireland, rip off republic for nothing. Its totally overpriced but the retailers can get away with it. The non smoking is a plus and there is a great service departing outside the arrivals hall downtown and to other towns in the country. There is also a cheapers long stay car park to use which is 5 euro a day and you can book over the internet with a PIN. The nicest terminal is the new one terminal C which has a very airy feel. It also has a nice nursing room which is a big plus when travelling with a small child.

Dublin Airport by L Hogan

13 March 2006

Arriving in Dublin Airport is fairly painless. The stairs are a bit of a nuisance, but they are supposedly only a temporary measure until renovations are finished. There is nothing particularly special in first impressions of the airport, but passport control is quick and easy, (as one person already mentioned) baggage reclaim is fast, there is no-one ever on the customs counter and the bus stop is just outside the arrivals exit doors. Departing from Dublin Airport is another matter. Self-service check in is fantastic and there are plenty of duty free shops, other than that its all negative in my opinion. Security checks are needlessly long and they even make you take off your shoes. Food is ridicously expensive and the choice isn't great and some of the restaurants give you plastic cutlery. The old sky lounge is gone, which had a lovely relaxed atmosphere, they replaced it with a dull Irish bar. The bars in the departure lounges are also dull and lifeless. "Duty free" is a con. Staff are indifferent and out-right rude on occasions.

Dublin Airport by Alan Smith

28 February 2006

Awful. Transit signs that send you in a mysterious loop, up a flight of stairs and through a narrow corridor to a pointless, crowded and excessive security check, lack of decent restaurants and bars, crowded seating areas, surly staff. Avoid!

Dublin Airport by David Conway

10 February 2006

I agree with some comments regarding lack of seating and cost of food at the airport. However having flown out of Dublin numerous times I find the security checks thorough to the benefit of passengers rather than some whisk through just so I can wander around Duty Free for 20 more minutes. Piece of mind is worth far more than that. As for announcements in English, that's the language we speak predominately!

Dublin Airport by Robert McLean

6 February 2006

I found the new self service check in to be excellent especially as I do not have baggage. However the queue for 25 minutes to go through security is ridiculous! Do they want us to travel in the nude. Even elderly people were hassled. I travel every weekend to Zaventem and even there I am though security in less than a minute with none of the fuss.

Dublin Airport by Lisa Cassells

8 January 2006

Left Dublin to ZRH a 25 min wait in line to get through security. we passed through passport in Zurich our bags were waiting for us 5 mins after embarking the aircraft. Returned to Dublin 4th January on LX 400 the flight arrived five minutes ahead of schedule. We then waited 50 mins to claim our baggage off the flight. I enquired at the handling office why it took so long to reclaim our bags. Their response was" a 40-45 min wait was acceptable off the flight". What other airport would you get a response like that?

Dublin Airport by Tony Betts

7 January 2006

Good Points. Very good bus service using the 747 into Dublin .I managed to get a combined AIRLINK bus + DART single for €5.50 but the ticket machine was a bit tired looking and not easy to read. Very nice helpful lady Bus driver helped me with the ticket machine. Bad Points. This is the only airport I have visited that seems to mix departures and arrivals with such chaotic results.. The departure lounge is just too small to accommodate passengers comfortably and this is made worse with arriving passengers trying to pick their way through waiting departing passengers who are invariably sitting on the floor due to a lack of adequate seating. As I arrived the chaos reminded me of a 1960's Butlins cafeteria. The information boards in the departure area are not near some of the gates so when a late gate change happens bedlem ensues. Some of the announcements are hard to understand if you are not a fast speaking Irish national and the load speaker coverage is patchy. The Ryanair "free for all" boarding policy is surprisingly efficient as long as you are able bodied. I sympathise with the Ryanair staff both on the planes and in the terminal they look tired and exhausted. Some try their best whilst others have clearly given up the pretence against overwhelming odds. This airport needs some investment and is clearly in the bottom league of European airports I have visited.

Dublin Airport by Brenda Twist

2 January 2006

I passed through Dublin Airport today on my way from JFK to Manchester. The management here should be ashamed of the standards of the facilities offered - from the lack of cleanliness & modernity of the washrooms to the congested circulation spaces at both check-in desks & departure lounges; indeed I emerged from a very long security check queue into the mayhem of a third rate market place with dismal eating areas before a long walk through cheerless corridors to my departure gate. I also found the routing of transit passengers though the baggage hall, out into the arrivals hall & back through the general check in area (necessitating further security checks & queues) time consuming & frustrating. This is the Capital city of Ireland, a tourist gateway, an international airport & a disgrace to the nation! This airport urgently requires an injection of cash, enterprise & quality management personnel.

Dublin Airport by Paul Townsend

6 November 2005

One Saturday morning I took a flight to Heathrow, Flight was at 07:20 so I arrived at 06:00 thinking there will be no problem at that time on a Saturday morning. How wrong was I. Although check-in was a breeze in fairness to Aer Lingus, it took a further 45 minutes to queue for security which left it quite tight for the flight. The whole check in area was in mayhem, jammed pack with people. I was lucky that I knew the airport quite well otherwise I would have spent ages trying to find my way around. On the other hand, once you are past security, there are some good facilities for passengers (if you have time that is)

Dublin Airport by Ciaran McCafferty

28 October 2005

Travelled through DUB recently on a short trip back to Ireland. Arrival was fine, the Aer Lingus flight parked at the B pier, from there it was the usual walk through the drab corridors to passport control and the baggage reclaim area. This was fairly quiet as it was Thursday evening. I have never had to wait longer than 10 or 15 minutes for my baggage, and this was no exception. From there it was a short walk to the Aircoach stop outside the arrivals area. The trip into the city took as long as it ever did; if the proposed Metro ever gets the go ahead things would improve immeasurably as the trek to the airport inevitably takes longer than in similar sized cities due to the lack of any rail link. For the return on Monday evening check-in was quite busy in the Aer Lingus area, but as usual I had checked in using Fast Pass and dropped my bag within 10 minutes of getting off the Aircoach. Security was quiet and I was sitting in the mezzanine restaurants, which have recently transferred to Airside, within a few minutes. This is a good idea, especially considering the more stringent check in requirements these days, which mean people have to be in the airport and through security long before their flight - airside options were previously non-existent beyond sandwich stalls. Departure was from Pier B again, which is having some overdue renovations carried out - the finished product will be interesting to see. The gate area was very busy, with no available seats when I got there, but boarding was relatively orderly and people boarded the plane with little fuss, despite the usual panic when boarding was announced. Overall I think Dublin airport does its job well. Granted I usually manage to avoid it for peak holiday times when it can be extremely crowded, but so can every airport.

Dublin Airport by Stuart Holmes

24 October 2005

Dublin airport is one of the worst managed airports I have ever had the displeasure of using. The transport links are totally inadequate you need a considerable amount of time to reach the airport from the city centre no matter what time of day your flight is. Waiting times at check in are lengthy. The departure area is always congested with trolleys are check in queues. On my last trip I queued 10 mins to use the Aer Lingus Quick check and then Queue 15mins again at the bag Drop. The food and beverage prices in the departures area are exorbitant. Unfortunately if you live in Dublin you don't have a choice of airports.

Dublin Airport by Kieran Croskery

9 October 2005

Arrived on 17 September on an Excel Airways charter from Verona - our third year in succession - I should have known better. The coach to take us to the terminal building was absolutely filthy - the arrivals hall was not much better. There was serious congestion at the luggage retrieval belts as the screens detailing which belt was servicing which incoming flight were incorrect. The Public Address system was used to inform arriving passengers of the problem - god help anyone who didn't understand english - they are probably still waiting there. There was absolute chaos with bewildered passengers and abandoned trolleys everywhere and inevitably no sign of airport staff to try to organise things - what a mess. No thank you Dublin Airport - this is the 21st century, you do not deserve our custom - never again will I darken your doors.

Dublin Airport by Sharad Rastogi

9 October 2005

Flew from YYZ to ARN via DUB on 2nd sept. 2005. Reading the reviews I thought I will miss my connecting flight on SAS from DUB to ARN, as I had only 1hour in transit. I was surprised that in less than 20 mins I had cleared immigration/customs and then security to get back into the terminal. I would say DUB is a good airport.

Dublin Airport by Barry Donelan

9 October 2005

Traveling through Dublin airport is almost always a nightmare. Organization of any kind is nonexistent in an airport that is the gateway to a vibrant capital city. Long lines and mass confusion rein supreme. Those with a faint heart are a little slow on their feet due to age or infirmity should beware. The departure hall is a scene of complete chaos, with passengers and baggage everywhere. There are no discernable organized lines for particular airlines, let alone specific flights. The few staff members that are present are completely in different to the confusion around them, and of no help to fare paying passengers, in fact passengers are treated as an annoyance by most workers at the airport. Once through security you enter a rabbit warren of corridors full of people moving in all directions, don’t stop, are you are liable to be knocked over and trampled on. Flip a coin to guess if your flight actually has a jet way, you could be lucky and have one. Flying in is as bad. Having descended the steps to the ground, be careful crossing the very busy tarmac on foot to the terminal building, you would not want to be run over by a speeding baggage cart, or taxiing plane. Inside the building fight your way to join the very long lines for immigration. This deplorable situation should not be allowed to continue. The airport authority should be ashamed and has got to get its act together. Why not create an airport that befits the country it serves, rather than the over crowded mess that currently exists. The success of the Celtic Tiger has certainly missed its major airport.

Dublin Airport by Pat Malloy

9 October 2005

Arrivals is a bit dismal, I doubt it has changed much since the 1970s or earlier. The food court is good, an improvement. I have found airport employees to be very helpful. I travel between the U.S. and Ireland and have never found long lines anywhere. Baggage claim is quick and easy.

Dublin Airport by Patrick Jordan

6 September 2005

Departing at 5.00am no queues at security, so I was through in a few minutes. What a pleasant change from previous Some of the restaurants in the upper food court have now become airside, thanks to the addition of several panes of glass. This now means that passengers can have an improved choice of food after security. These restaurants are accessed from the main concourse, however I was horrified to see a bowl of cereal & milk priced at 3 Euro. Landside it will cost just over half that. This is one relatively small improvement which will benefit both passengers and meeters & greeters alike.

Dublin Airport by Pat Flynn
15 August 2005

Living in Dublin I use Dublin airport everytime I want to fly out. Mostly Dublin to LAX - what a mess. Long check in times, disinterested staff, Security has got better. Coming into Dublin you are met by drab walkways, old passport control areas, an arrivals hall that was fine 50 years ago - staff milling around doing nothing. And please do not ask them for help, you will be met by a blank face. On leaving arrivals into the public area is not much better. Please tell them we are in the 21st century - I am tired of telling them.

Dublin Airport by Padraic Rowan
19 July 2005

Continental DUB-EWR. Long queue for check in. Airport was chaotic with people everywhere. Security was simple and quite quick. US immigration computers were down so we had to clear it in Newark - an annoyance as we had a very short connecting time and barely made the flight. Staff were not very helpful when asked questions. Dublin definately needs a new terminal - the quicker the better!

Dublin Airport by Sameer Dutt
2 July 2005

I have travelled through Dublin airport 5-6 times last year and this year as well. As far as reaching the airport from the town is concerned, it can take an hour as well, if travelling during busy rush hours.. Q's for check- in were long but the security system was alright, there was a long walk to the departure lounge.

Dublin Airport by Andrew Turek
29 June 2005

LHR-DUB-LAX Premier in Aer Lingus (to avoid queueing for Immigration after the flight). Previously I could stay airside; now I was required to go out and back through security; which, however, was quick, efficient, thorough and courteous. But what a dump airside is outside the lounge! Not enough seats, low-class shopping taking up the space where the seats should be. And long walks for the less- than-fit among us.

Dublin Airport by Bren Lynch

29 June 2005

Ever since some mysterious 'EU Inspectors' told the Airport Authority that they had succeeded in 'smuggling' dangerous items through security, the airport has been in a panic mode about security. (Why did these 'inspectors' only criticise Dublin, most other EU airports seem to be more sensible about security, and why did the Airport Police not arrest and detain these 'inspectors' for smuggling dangerous items airside ?) Dublin Airport cannot manage the queues, the security, the tax /duty free 'Street' area or incoming wide-body aircraft. Check-in queues snake around the departures area blocking freeflow of other passengers. Some of the security screening desks close early and open late just to make matters worse ! Airside ATM's are all 'Out of Order', so you can't get cash to purchase items Airside. The airconditioning cannot cope on a sunny 20c day, The 'Street' shopping area is obstructed with merchants' displays jutting out into the walkway. Some arriving wide-body aircraft are docked at Pier A, it can take over an hour to unload the baggage from these flights. The baggage belts 1- 5 are fed from the old hall where traffic jams of baggage carts are a daily occurance, and belts 6-10 stop if the bags have been placed too closely together by the baggage handlers - you can't win ! Just bring hand baggage. At certain times of the day, there can be queues of over 100 people waiting for taxis, the city taxi drivers have no way of knowing that there's no taxis at the airport. All in all, I'd prefer to drive to Cork or Belfast International than go through Dublin.

Dublin Airport by Matthew Ross

23 May 2005

Dublin Airport is in trouble - it is the victim of Ireland's new prosperity. Quite simply, it can't cope and is in need of serious investment. The recently discovered flaws in the security screening are leading to massive queues. If travelling on Ryanair, note that you cannot check in at any desk - instead long waits for the one or two available desks are normal. Why can't Ryanair copy the Virgin Express single queue system at Brussels? Arrive early - the reports of missed flights due to delays at the security screening have made news headlines in Ireland, but extra staff have now been recruited. The shopping area on the air side is cramped. On the plus side, I find that the bus link to the city centre is quite reasonable (if there are no traffic jams).

Dublin Airport by Michael McGearty

1 May 2005

Transatlantic check in for Aer lingus flights is chaos! there needs to be so much more organisation, there is a block of 10 check in desks with 'Transatlantic' posted above then, there are no ques for these desks, just people. Next time you fly take a walk over and look to see if the NY, Boston, LA and Orlando flights are checking in! The street shopping area at Dublin is great, so are the restaurants. All baggage is routed to a central hall with 10 belts, only half of these ever work! Long term parking has a good shuttle service, that really does arrive every few minutes, but they don't send for another when there are loads of people waiting, they just cram them all in!

Dublin Airport by P Keane

23 April 2005

Avoid like the plague. The government run airport is incapable of running anything at Dublin. Only two traffic lanes to serve the whole airport, bus taxi, cars all fighting for limited space. Vastly overcrowded terminal, always boiling hot, poor signage, no seating. Huge queues for security, never enough positions open, early morning is worst. Tiny amount of space provided for walkways through terminal. Commercial outlets rule. Mile long walk to area "A". No shelter provided from weather at boarding. Long wait for take off as Dub only has one runway, also controlled by Government, ATC should visit JFK/ORD to see how to control landings and take offs from single runway. Arrivals are worse. no matter what area you arrive ALL passengers have to go to central baggage area where there are 10 baggage belts. belts 5-10 are never in operation due to some union dispute or another. Every bag that arrived at DUB has to use 5 baggage belts, I kid you not. A second terminal has been planned for Dub for years but due to the total incapability of the government to make any decision no action has been taken. They have said however that they would like the current company to operate this terminal as well. Do yourself a favour, go somewhere else, anywhere.

Dublin Airport by Cormac Walshe

21 April 2005

I used to like travelling out of Dublin Airport a lot but after a recent trip where I had to Q for 45 minutes to get through security I am dreading my next trip. I arrived at 5:45 am, checked in using the Fastpass system but didn't get past security until 6:35 am. There were a lot of panicky people around trying to skip the Q etc. Apparently it got worse over the next few days cos when I got back to Dublin the fiasco had made it onto the main news bulletins on tv , radio and newspapers with reports of customers waiting over two hours to pass security with some undoubtedly missing their flights. The worst thing is that Dublin Airport charges each of us €3.50 for airport security.

Dublin Airport by Alfian Hazemi

21 April 2005

I was travelling from HAM-DUB-RTM last February. Arriving in Dublin was absolutely fine except that I had this feeling walking in a maze without a definite end. The immigration staff was a little bit unfriendly but she didnt gave me any hard time entering Ireland (my first visit though). Baggage claim was fast and easy, unlike other european airport. Departing Dublin for Rotterdam was as well ok. Check in staff was extremely friendly and helpful. Security control staffs were as well friendly.Duty free shops charge reasonable price as well as restaurants.

Dublin Airport by Kevin Armstrong

26 March 2005

I flew out of Dublin Airport for the first time last week and found it not bad at all. Bus links from the city are very good and, flying with Aer Lingus, the self service check-in was a breeze. I was going through the departures gate less than 10 minutes after I arrived at the airport. My only gripe was on the return flight I had a very long wait for my luggage (well over 30 minutes) and the baggage area is not particularly well laid out.

Dublin Airport by Paul Dunseath

13 March 2005

I have just surfed the net to find out what facilities are available at Dublin Airport, and I am sad to say if the web site is far from interesting, and would do nothing to invite custom. As a hospitality Director and fond traveller I would like to see exactly what is on offer to the customer, and more detail regards the attractions. Sorry for bursting the bubble but in these days of increased tourists hopes we need something to welcome and entice visitors to our shore. I hear that the Dublin has a great Airport, fantastic food courts and facilities, so please be proud of it - and sell your product well.

Dublin Airport by Paul Kay

8 January 2005

I'm from the UK, Male, Normal six foot, broad in stature and I now live and work in Eire. I naturally go through the Airports X-Ray machines at the Airport fairly often when flying out on a now regular basis. But for the past 4 (Four) times in succession I have been singled out to remove my Shoes, or in the Dublin security operatives words 'Boots' which sides are a smart shoe design and which happen to come up to 'Just Below' my angles. On the second & third occurrence I complained to the Airport Jurisdiction only Police who probably read from a Script when replying to your face but on all these occasions other males and more often Females were passing through all the other X-ray machines in a whole manner of footwear with Boots in the real meaning of the word worn by females especially. Even a few males had for want of a better word 'Cowboy' type boots on but with all the operatives looking at me complaining on each of the previous four visits to the X-ray area no one else was actually stopped. Like I said, females with average fashion style Boots were apparently exempt from removing them along with fellow males down to their stocking feet - with the likes of me having to repeat the performance with these 'Shoes' on four in a row successive occasions - MOTTO - Apart from 'Change your shoes mate'..."Why, their Shoes"  - it might be ones first step on a long journey but when going thorough at Dublin maybe make sure you change pre- X-ray into your Bedroom slippers for security piece of mind! Returning home to Ireland from the UK for example no one turns even a glance on my ordinary footwear!!

Dublin Airport by Ciaran McCafferty

22 September 2004

As a fairly regular user of Dublin Airport over the past few years I can never understand why people are so critical. While there may not be a metro, the Dublin Bus Airlink (747/748/767 services) is fairly decent, and not bad for €5- and if you buy a rambler you can transfer onto the otehr Dublin Bus services for nothing, good for travellers on a budget. The Aircoach is more comfortable, being a proper coach, and not much more expensive. Check in, like everywhere, is dependent on the airline. The new FastPass system from AerLingus is working well, on my last two flights I was checked in within 5 minutes of arriving at the airport. Ryanair is as slow as it seems to be at any airport they fly out of. bmi can be slow, but it's hardly as bad as Terminal 1 in Heathrow, which is in a league of it's own. The whole departures area is definitely very easy to use. The Food Court offers a good choice and the shops airside are ok (but Ireland is by no means the cheapest country to go on a shopping spree!). The gates are hit and miss- Pier A is dull and tired, Pier B can be crowded and Pier C is clean and modern. Baggage reclaim has been fine in my experience, most of the time I've managed to avoid serious delays- in any case, when you do get your bags you can be in your car within 10 minutes, or get the bus within 5.

Dublin Airport by Darren McCormac

17 September 2004

Are we all talking about the same Dublin Airport? When I was there in April, it wasn't bad, considering how busy it is. It was a fairly long walk to the pier (I was on Ryanair) but there are about 3 different express bus services (2 of which are operated by Bus Atha Claith so you can use your Rambler ticket), the selection of shops was decent and in all, not bad. Much better than when I last used DUB to fly to CDG in 1998.

Dublin Airport by Fiona Fitzgerald

7 September 2004

Transport except by bus is almost non-existent to and from Dublin Airport The food court has a good choice, despite being decorated, if that's the word, by large posters of baked beans in various tints, just don't look up! In all the vast eating areas no decaffeinated coffee is to be had. I overheard the catering staff say "We've no cafe au lait, would you have milk instead in your coffee?" Baggage area is still bad. The shopping areas aren't bad, but when almost anywhere is cheaper abroad, why would you bother unless you were killing time? And the long-term car park is covered in chunks of rock, a nice landing for anyone in the dark. It really really needs better signposting, groups of people hesitating everywhere, dragging luggage from one end to the other. If there is a layout map, I have never gotten to see it. And what about letting people know how long it will take them to walk to a gate as they check in? Some are so far out, it's like the Disneyland from hell.

Dublin Airport by Casey Paul

2 September 2004

The "A" pier area is reminiscent of a public toilet in many respects. First and foremost it has a permanently permeating smell of pee throughout. The gormless staff that float about screeching at one another in their rough Dublin accents add to this ambience. The PA system that might have been purchased in a pound store aids the headachy atmosphere. No air-conditioning. Filth and dirt. A customer-base comprising in the main trailer-park-trash. The only recent saving grace has been the smoking ban. Urgh. It makes my skin crawl.

Dublin Airport by P Jennings

30 June 2004

As a high volume user of Dublin I must state that it is adequate and no more. It is poorly laid out and can get over crowded at peak times. I feel that the Security /X Ray area is poorly manned and queues can build up to unacceptable levels. Compare this to the system at other airports and you see the problem. Arrivals hall is a free for all and baggage delivery poor. All in all a pleasant space for the fact that apart form a handful of US flights Dublin handles only regional flights to Europe, UK and domestic that on average are less than 3 hours.

Dublin Airport by Gary Cooke

31 May 2004

I find it hard to believe that some people seem to rate Dublin Airport - the place reminds me of a bus station. When they say is has improved what exactly do they mean? It is overcrowded and uncomfortable - at almost any time during the day. (Even at 7.00 in the morning.) One of comments below referred to the place as hostile - I agree. The airport is in desperate need of a co-ordinated and comprehensive plan to bring it into the 21st century. Ryanair, and the government have been looking at plans for extension to alleviate the congestion. But all we are left with is internal bickering, indecision, and a continuing debate about the future of Aer Riante. (The airport 'managers') It is the consumers who lose. The queues are long, and check-in slow. Only in pier C, is there any real sense of space. I wouldn't go so far as to say the place is dirty, but it certainly doesn't look clean either. Departure pier B is simply not nearly big enough, and boarding area A is ugly, unkempt, and the tomfoolery that goes on by staff calling out flights over the intercom is amateurish. I frequently see giggling staff communicating with individual passengers via the intercom. This is totally unprofessional, and utterly embarrassing. The biggest single issue with the airport is the length of time it takes in baggage reclaim. Since I use the place thirty times a year, I am in a qualified position to say that it ranks as a third world operation. At times I have waited for fifty five minutes for my baggage, and that is by no an isolated incident. Generally it takes more than thirty minutes - and that doesn't include disembarking from the aircraft, or going through customs. They installed several baggage carousels a number of years ago. They largely remain idol - something to do with door width on entry from the unloading bay. The ceiling is also under constant re-construction. It looks dreadful. And has been like this for at least three years. The real problem is Aer Riante, the airport authorities whose hegemony goes un-challenged, because of their outmoded state monopoly. Their numerous employees, and those of Aer Lingus lope around the baggage reclaim, with high visibility jackets, doing what seems like nothing. Except throwing off attitude, and generally looking clueless. The Aer Lingus gold circle lounge is poorly stocked with refreshment, and frequently shabby. The great irony is, that Dublin Airport used to be a charming smaller airport - and the old art Deco terminal still stands as the most stunning airport building I have ever seen. We may not be able to return to the old days, but at least a more systematic, unified and professional approach, might be able to improve what is now a hideous mess.

Dublin Airport by Trisha O'Neill

24 May 2004

The updated airport is great. But something has to be done about the baggage handling. Waiting for what feels like a lifetime - the wait - as someone pointed out, is unacceptable, then the Irish do take things in their stride.

Dublin Airport by Michael Hennigan

10 May 2004

Dublin needs a new terminal in order to handle increased routes and passenger numbers. Having worked in the airport as a baggage handler in the summer of 2003, I would regularly see a queue of planes, having landed waiting for planes to push back before they could they could be marshalled onto the stands. Also because of a poorly designed inbound baggage hall, a limited number of baggage dollies and bin dollies (3 intotal) are allowed at the different belts. Overall I found the airport generally pleasant but over crowed in mid summer when running at and over capacity.

Dublin Airport by Karen O' Callaghan

28 April 2004

Extremely satisfying experience. Great facilities throughout and an extremely welcome environment. food court came in very handy.

Dublin Airport by David Flynn

22 April 2004

Must say that the years of investment have paid off. One of the most pleasant experiences I've had in an airport. Flew AMS-DUB with just hand luggage and was standing outside the arrivals hall within five minutes of leaving the aircraft at Pier C. Return journey to AMS was great also. Check in was super quick, great range of restaurants, extremely quick security. Great shopping in the new "street" area and a nice relaxed ambience in Pier C prior to departure. Staff, as always, friendly, helpful and down to earth. Now lets hope DUB gets it's second terminal before it is once again faced with the capacity issues of a few years ago.

Dublin Airport by Paul Dixon

14 March 2004

I use Dublin Intl 7 or 8 times a year. Its hard to comment at this time on Dublin Airport due to the huge influx of passengers in the last few years which just keeps multiplying. It has improved enormously over the past 10 years with the renovations of Pier B, C + D. A new runway and terminal are proposed for the near future too which will ease the limited congestion there at the moment. The interior of Pier A is somewhat dated, but the renovated piers have lots of class, restaurants and bars are top class. I find baggage collection varying depending on the airline but never disastrous.

Dublin Airport by David Finnegan

27 February 2004

Much improved. It must be said that there are many reasons (notably problems with planning permission) that delayed the extensions being built. The check in area is excellent and I've rarely had to queue for longer than a few seconds. The eating and shopping selection is top notch for an airport of this size, and Piers B and C are excellent. Walks are not too long either. Pier A is a mess though, but the new Pier D which would have provided some breathing room to fix up pier A has been delayed as the government and airport operator assess the need for a completely new terminal. Arrivals could do with some work too but is going in the right direction. Baggage delivery is usually very quick in my experience, but that depends really on the handling agent and not the airport operator. The road access is now excellent as M1 and M50 motorways are complete. Public transport is improving and the bus services are excellent, but it does need the rail link ASAP. Staff always friendly.

Dublin Airport by E O'Shaughnessy

17 February 2004

Return ORD to DUB 12/2-15/2. Encountered no problems and actually thought DUB is a lot like Providence, RI airport. Duty Free and restaurants pretty good. Airport was clean and all staff friendly.

Dublin Airport by Liam Coughlan

9 November 2003

Overcrowded, takes too long to get from city to airport due to gridlock, poor services at airport with queues, queues for baggage and check in unacceptable, expanded airport means a lot of walking, generally a hostile and frustrating experience.

Dublin Airport by Cronan Enright

24 October 2003

Living abroad, I always look forward to visiting home. But as I disembark at Dublin Airport, my heart sinks a little. Welcome to planet chaos. True, that as I travel mostly to Asia, I am spoilt for choice of top notch airports - nothing in Europe can match spacious, modern KUL, HKG, DXB or INC. But fast growing DUB does not even come close. It must be the most over-crowded airport I know. Have they been fixing the baggage hall ceiling and tiles for two or three years? The terminal re-fit has an air of cheapness throughout - like the nasty new airline signs on the frenzied departures set-down road. Or the big TV screens at each check-in desk instead of flat plasma screens found elsewhere. There is no rail link to the city and no regional rail connections (which should be the aim - not a simple metro line). Not to mention the roads to the city. Pier C is a step in the right direction - let's hope the rest of the airport will match that quality as soon as possible. But the airport operator now seems more concerned with its own corporate survival than fixing the airport.

Dublin Airport by John Fitzpatrick

30 August 2003

Despite the bad press it often gets, appeared to be handling the significant increase in flights; security is always courteous, a very good range of shopping is available and staff are pleasant. The very handy airside trolleys appear to have been withdrawn, which was a pity, but all in all, the experience was positive.

Dublin Airport by Robyn Whitford

15 July 2003

I feel the improvements to Dublin airport have made it more clinical looking and its lost its homely feel, however, whenever I travel through here the level of customer service is excellent and ground crew are always friendly and efficient. The Air Coach offers a service to and from the airport for €6.50 and it runs every 15mins from most major hotels in the city.

Dublin Airport by M Peadar

6 March 2003

The airport service is numbered 747/8 runs every 10 minutes or so and costs Eu5 each way. There is also a normal service 746 which runs right across town to Dun Laoghaire for (I think) Eu 1.50. Most major city airports are served by a train service. Dublin has been promised an extension of the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transport) rail service to the airport "in 5 years time".

Dublin Airport by Perry Share

27 February 2003

As a fairly frequent user of Dublin Airport I would have to say it has improved markedly over the last year or so. Long term parking is not over the top in price and the system works well (I can't speak for the public transport links); food and coffee are fine and the dining areas fairly clean and tidy. The Butler's Chocolate Cafe (airside) provides excellent coffee at a good price (no I don't work for them!) and all airport staff are always courteous. Certainly compared to Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted - all overcrowded, dirty and rude - Dublin is relaxing and pleasant to travel through. Last time I used it (traveling from Italy) the luggage was already going around on the carousel when I arrived - now that doesn't happen too often

Dublin Airport by Frank Kirk

3 October 2002

After check in for our flight we were advised by ground staff not to proceed to departure lounge as it was populated by drunks who might disturb our four year old twins!! On return we were held up by baggage return for 90 mins - with nowhere to sit. We had a four month old baby who needed feeding / changing, but facilities were non existant and the toilets appalling. Then, two transatlantic flights arrived into the baggage hall -what a disaster. It took longer to leave Dublin Airport than the flight took. I shall never use Dublin Airport again.

Dublin Airport by Marco Montella

28 September 2002

Unfortunately DUB is the only airport in Ireland that really connects the nation to Europe and that's why I'm still using it. If you are downtown and you don't want to spend a fortune to reach the terminals by taxi (approx. €25), you are forced to deal with the well famous arrogance of the bus drivers and the appalling state of the coach you travel with. Check in and boarding procedures are usually smooth and staff is always very nice to passengers but luggage collection is a real mess. In the case of flight delay, and lately is not a rare event, the duty free shops don't offer anything interesting but the same old alcohol-fragrances- tobacco combination and Irish gadgets.

Dublin Airport by Niall Griffin

21 August 2002

Transport to and from the airport is poor. The roads to the airport seem to be in a state of permanent roadworks and often are down to only one lane. After midnight when delayed your airline you often find main roads blocked off completely for construction. Taxis are few and far between. Only buses seem to run plentifully between the airport and city centre. There is no rail connection and no plans to build one.

Dublin Airport by Matthew Morris

31 July 2002

Dublin Airport has undergone major improvements in the last few years. The main check in area is well organised and extremely easy to use. There are three piers. A, B and C. A is mainly for domestic and regional UK flights. B is mainly for flights to the US and C is for all other flights. One huge advantage of using Dublin when travelling to the US is it offers US immigration pre- clearance. It is ideal as a transit point for passengers from the UK for example as well as Dublin/Ireland based passengers. In general the airport offers good shopping and is easy to get around.