DUBLIN AIRPORT Passenger Reviews and Traveller Reports

DUBLIN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT customer review :  21 July 2010 by Michael Haugh   (UK)

Customer Rating :  4/5

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Ryanair departure area is a long walk before you get to passports and baggage reclaim area. The volume of passengers is way down on the boom years so it isn't so congested.

DUBLIN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT customer review :  12 April 2010 by Tony McLaughlin   (UK)

Customer Rating :  2/5

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I find Dublin a very frustrating airport in many respects. Arrived at what I consider to be the original part of the airport, and it is extremely tired, and user unfriendly for less able passengers. As usual, long wait for the bags - 45 minutes - I have a theory that they prioritise Aer Lingus flights. Departed from the original part of the airport - lacking in space. The new terminal looks impressive, hopefully the bags will be deposited a lot quicker in it.

DUBLIN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT customer review :  27 March 2010 by D Craw   (UK)

Customer Rating :  4/5

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Dublin Airport has a very crowded security area. There are two at either end of the check in area (and either end of the shopping corridor airside) and are usually queued way out towards the check in desks again. Security staff can be a little rude at times. Once you're through security you're straight into the shopping area which is a very cramped long corridor with many expensive shops and lots of hand luggage rolling around. No seating until you get to the relevant Pier. I have flown mostly from Pier D in recent years and it is actually very good. It is spacious and quiet and has some cafes and shops along it. The last time I flew they still had some of the portacabin pier left (you go through a gate a Pier D which actually just brings you downstairs to the horrible bit) and its like you're standing in a caravan, its very very cramped, noisy and hard to hear the announcements. Very busy during the delays 2 years ago after the ATC meltdown! Landside there is a good selection of cafes and restaurants on the mezzanine above check in. Beware though, all the lifts (except pier D) seem to be quite dodgy, especially the ones out at the car parks, even the newish lifts at check in sometimes don't work!

DUBLIN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT customer review :  3 March 2010 by Ian Del   (Ireland)

Customer Rating :  4/5

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Getting to and from the Dublin airport is still bad, but once there it's fine. I have occasionally seen the queue for security spilling out round the departures lounge, but normally you get through quite quickly, albeit they never use all available scanners. The choices for eating and drinking have improved over the years, and pier D, even if a long walk away, is still a huge improvement on the awful portakabins that they had before.

DUBLIN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT customer review :  18 February 2010 by Gary Farrelly   (France)

Customer Rating :  4/5

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Loads of good views of the apron from the airside. Catering and retail options in all areas of the airport are very good. The DAA pay as you go "Anna Livia" lounge is well stocked, tidy and value for money. Dublin Airport can be heaven or something less than depending on the time of day and the gate you depart/arrive from. Then opening of T2 later this year will improve things massively.

DUBLIN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT customer review :  5 November 2009 by E Ferwerda   (USA)

Customer Rating :  4/5

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Since my last post I've used Dublin four more times and still quite satisfied. Departing or transferring passengers should know that once you enter some concourses ("A" for sure, and possibly others), you may not be allowed back into the rest of the airport. Arriving passengers connecting to long-distance bus or rail should know that the direct buses to the downtown intercity bus terminal and Heuston rail station are the 747 and 748 respectively (Connolly passengers can take the light rail from outside Heuston). These are green double- decker buses which will be on your left exiting the terminal; they cost 6 euro each way. Having used Dublin 6 times now I find it quite satisfactory and will continue to use it in the future.

DUBLIN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT review :  29 October 2009 by Roger Lyon   (UK)

Customer Rating :  4/5

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Agree with the last review. Construction site appearance but still functional. Check in good and security quite quick. A bit of a walk to get to the A gates but nothing too bad. Plenty of seats for waiting departure. Overall satisfactory. AirCoach to city is E7 which is dear but fast. Bus at E2.20 is good value but takes at least an hour.

DUBLIN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT review :  13 October 2009 by A Hijmans   (Brazil)

Customer Rating :  4/5

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Massive construction underway but not (as yet) inconvenient to passengers. Flew out of DUB at peak time early Friday evening and the airport was functioning well; no queues at passport and security control. DUB's major problem - and the works currently underway won't resolve this - is the lack of a fast ground transport link to the city centre. There are state-owned and private buses running to various points in the city centre but notoriously bad traffic means it will take you close to an hour to cover the 8km distance, and at €6, the service is seriously overpriced. Best value option is Dublin Bus' 16A service which takes even longer but only costs EUR2,20.

DUBLIN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT review :  13 October 2009 by Oscar Hillgaar   (Norway)

Customer Rating :  4/5

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Dublin low-price terminal (Ryanair etc.) really has improved. Still a long walk to/from customs/immigration, but - on departure - once you have got clear of the crowded shopping bazaar things really improve.

DUBLIN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT review :  18 September 2009 by E Ferwerda   (USA)

Customer Rating :  4/5

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The international arrivals area is somewhat spread out, eg. a walk down a narrow hall to passport control, than again to customs, etc. There were no lines or delays. The arrivals level of the terminal is dark, but signage is clear and my bag came reasonably quickly. There are good bus connections to and from the airport, although you want to know which one you want beforehand. All in all, clean and functional but nothing outstanding.

DUBLIN AIRPORT review : 2 September 2009 : by K Hamilton

Customer Rating : 4/5

I fly to/from Dublin Airport regularly and find it to be a pretty good airport, albeit one that is undergoing needed improvements. There is plenty of space and security is generally pretty fast and efficient. My main bugbear is the length of time it takes to get to pier D, especially the far reaching gates.

DUBLIN AIRPORT review : 31 August 2009 : by H Maenen

Customer Rating : 4/5

Dublin Airport is improving. Next year Terminal 2 will open. I left Dublin for Amsterdam and Aer Lingus still operates some flights from the future low cost pier D. That was a long walk indeed, but the area is pleasant with abundant seating and facilities. There are no airbridges there, boarding is via the tarmac. I assume that when Terminal 2 opens, pier D will be given over to Ryanair and other low cost flights entirely and the walking distances for scheduled flights will become shorter again.

DUBLIN AIRPORT review : 18 May 2009 : by S Martin

Customer Rating : 1/5

DUB continues to be a traveler's nightmare. Departing from D pier is a particularly horrible experience because of the very long walk. We made the mistake of eating Burger King at the new Terminal 1 Extension – it was so slow we gave up after 15 minutes although at no time were more than 3 people in front of us! The extension itself is very nice although the whole airport smells of one big toilet - I think it is the 'cleaning product' that is used/sprayed in the toilets. Please DAA, do something about this (and the other 100 or so problems with your airport).

DUBLIN AIRPORT review : 15 May 2009 : by G Marshall

Customer Rating : 2/5

A nightmare checking in at peak periods, and as others have stated, an outrageous walk to pier D. Security on the way in is usually quick (as is passport control coming back). Now benefits from a new large duty free shop on the way to Piers A/D. Unfortunately you have to negotiate the "alleyway" after clearing security to get there and the price of goods is a laugh. Parking is the most expensive I've seen at any airport (and I've been to a few). All in all, main terminal is a tired old building too small for it's purpose. Pier D is acceptable (assuming your flight doesn't depart from the portacabins below it), albeit too far for young/elderly/infirm passengers to walk. The new terminal can't come soon enough.

DUBLIN AIRPORT review : 5 May 2009 : by Judy Paris

Customer Rating : 1/5

Terrible airport to make connections! We were herded like cattle into long, hot, hallways to go through EU customs. We watched our departure time for the connection come and go and there was no one we could talk to!! Fortunately Air Lingus held the flight for us - but we had no way to know that at the time. The airport is set up to require very long walks (or runs) to make connections with wheel chairs being the only way to get assistance. Terrible design.

DUBLIN AIRPORT review : 13 January 2009 : by Roger Hayes

Customer Rating : 3/5

I fly from Dublin about twice a year and find it so annoying, Its not so bad during winter and off peak seasons but during the summer its terrible. You walk in the main entrance and it is packed. Security is quick and no hassle to get through. Duty free isn't really duty free considering that its dearer than shop outside the airport. It depends on what pier you go to. different piers have better quality, I remember walking for about 15 mins down a huge never ending corridor of prefabs to get to my Ryanair flight and when I got there it only had 1 shop which sold over priced beverages. On the positive side of Dublin Airport its easy to find where you are going and staff are friendly.

DUBLIN AIRPORT review : 19 December 2008 : by L Addis

Customer Rating : 3/5

Recently had a pleasant transfer on the way from Aberdeen to Bournemouth with Ryanair. The airport was quite efficient, with reasonably friendly staff. All quite busy. On previous visits the bus transfer was edging on pricey ( for what it is - a cold steamed up double decker) and subject to alot of traffic delays. Although Ryanair flights mainly pass through Area's A and D, these areas are not as nice as where BA and other airliners depart. Gate B I think has a drinking fountain, OK seating and excellent views of the taxiways and runway if staring out the window is what floats your boat. The airport seems to lack much in occasion, I would certainly rather fly from LHR to further away destinations. On a well commented side-note, do not leave a tight connection in DUB. I got my aging parents to connect on way to Glasgow from Palma and they had to run the marathon from Gate D, back out of the airport, and back to check-in which was shocking and they missed their flight by 1 minute. It is common for connecting passengers, and my parents recieved no help, had to run with no shoes and then stay in an awful hotel outside the airport. They will never use it again, so if connecting beware, but generally a fine airport.

DUBLIN AIRPORT review : 6 November 2008 : by J Bailey

Customer Rating : 2/5

It all depends on where you are going, but it does not really matter because it is all bad. The airport is very badly connected which is a huge failing and is totally unacceptable. No direct metro or train and so is very inconvenient. Reasonable sort of distance from the city so that is ok. Parking is hideously expensive and so are taxis so that is not good. As you have no other choice of airport you screwed so buckle up and get on with it.. The place is a building site at the moment with new terminals springing up on top of old ones. Check in Hall is old and tired but works except at peak times when it is bedlam. Security is actually good, pleasant and efficient - so top marks on that score. The airside is chaos - the "mall" just inside security is diminutive, narrow and very lacklustre, frankly bad. there are too many useless over priced retail outlets and not enough food options. If you travel from pier B it is close, but the arrangements they have for US flights are cattle like. Do not go down until you absolutely have to. Pier C is fine though with insufficient seating. Pier A is quite distant and really dreadful in terms of facilities of any sort. Pier D is somewhere in France, and is disappointing when you get there after such a long walk. Arrivals off the plane. Bad at the outset because except from Pier B you have miles to walk and in Pier D's case a couple of counties. Customs are efficient, and the baggage hall is shocking in the extreme, and the best part is that you can stroll out quickly, but then you no way of getting into Dublin.

DUBLIN AIRPORT review : 31 October 2008 : by Kevin McDougald

Customer Rating : 3/5

At first I felt like I had stepped back into the '50s upon entering the Customs and Immigration area at Dublin Airport. However, any negative first impressions were erased by the speed with which I was able to get from the aircraft to the arrival area, just in time to catch an Airlink bus into central Dublin. Boarding and disembarking from flights required walking across the tarmac, so be prepared for this if it's raining in Dublin - a common occurence.

DUBLIN AIRPORT review : 30 October 2008 : by Roger Lyon

Customer Rating : 3/5

Checked in online so no problems there. Lots of building work being done, but security process was reasonably swift and painless. Plenty of retail outlets flightside but no sign of a newsagent. Very long walk to departure gates but overall, not a bad experience.

DUBLIN AIRPORT review : 13 October 2008 : by J Fox

Customer Rating : 3/5

Dublin has come on in the last number of years with infrastructure changes (construction of T2), security improvements and the choice of bars and shops. However, many number of things are still lacking. The main check-in area is an absolute mess with people trying to navigate from one side to the other. Quality of foods in some of the 'restaurants' and ridiculous pricing of same are a disgrace. I think the DAA officials should take a trip to airports like Singapore-Changi to see for themselves the range of passenger comforts and most especially, space. Space is what is needed.

DUBLIN AIRPORT review : 25 September 2008 : by A Manderlan

Customer Rating : 3/5

The good points about Dublin are that security is generally pretty speedy, though with surges that can make it a bit clogged up, and the seating areas are mostly set apart from the shopping areas, and planned gates are revealed in good time. Landside Check in area 14 (Aer Lingus UK and Germany) is clean and runs well, but passengers moving on to security from it will often find themselves facing a barrier and a free-for-all in order to join the main queue from a right angle! The main upstairs check-in area, on the other hand, is a hellish, overcrowded zoo (Aer Lingus, Ryanair and other budget carriers being the primary culprits). If you have hold bags, you'll be treated to the experience twice over: the reclaim hall is a similar dark, filthy crush, and the wait for the main transfer buses to the city (aircoach and Dublin bus) is yet another crush, only with natural light for a change. The landside eateries on the third floor are almost universally vile (O'Briens, and Zumo downstairs at arrivals are ok, though). Avoid them at all costs. Airside: Pier D is a LONG way away, and was depressingly reminiscent of the 'tube' leading to the Ireland gates in T1 at Heathrow: long and grey. It may have improved since I was there, though, and I have only arrived into it so can't really say much about the departure experience there. Elsewhere, seating is woefully inadequate most of the time; it's not at all unusual to see people sitting on the window sills (assuming they're not occupied already by discarded beer and the like) or the floor because there's simply nowhere to go. So: get to the gate early (or a nearby one, if it's still full of people waiting for an earlier flight). Another tip: Wright's of Howth sell decent food much above standard airport quality if you want a snack. Admittedly, many of the negatives aren't strictly the DAA's fault. The airlines save money by opening a minimum of bag drop desks. The bus companies can't put people in a queue or say which stop is used for which destination, leading to the scrums outside. The bank's cash machines repeatedly break down and send you on a wild goose chase to get money to pay for the buses in the first place. And so it goes on... Late in the evening, when it's quiet, it is actually quite ok; the rest of the time, there are simple things that ARE in the DAA's control and would make a real improvement - put some more seats in (the space is there) and get rid of the litter. How difficult is that?

DUBLIN AIRPORT review : 2 September 2008 : by E Bowman

Customer Rating : 3/5

I fly through Dublin airport a lot; for the most part, it's pretty efficient. Filthy, unpleasant, but efficient. Finally got to see Pier D in all its glory - standards are low. First, the sky bridge is hardly impressive - made from obviously prefab parts and is /already/ starting to look a bit shabby. Because its curved, its moving sidewalk coverage is limited. It's a long walk out to Pier D, and moving sidewalks would be kind of appreciated. I personally found it annoying that they built this thing so that I have to walk further than a straight line because of the curve. What is up with no air bridges? It rains a lot in Dublin, and it's 2008. You want me to walk across the tarmac to get on the plane? Whenever I see a "D" gate on the big screen for my flight, my heart sinks.

DUBLIN AIRPORT review : 22 July 2008 : by Emma Fitzgibbon

Customer Rating : 2/5

Came through Dublin airport departures on a Sunday evening and found it to be an absolute nightmare. We'd checked in online so no delays there however the queue for security was badly managed - staff seemed unable to arrange the queue properly so passengers were sorting themselves out. Staff around the scanners were doing nothing apart from making sure that passengers put the trays back in a rack on the belt (in order that they wouldn't have to do it) - passengers were trying to reach up the belt to get their stuck luggage while staff did nothing. Queuing for drinks and food was a nightmare with people jumping ahead of each other and staff who had no idea what they were doing (although this may just have been one outlet). Walk to the gate (D) was long and there was hardly any space to move through the halls, no one was around to help elderly passengers caught in the chaos. The only good thing I can say about this airport is that the staff at the gate were very friendly and efficient - much appreciated after the nightmare we had getting through the airport!