Airport security personnel shortage causes lengthy lineups and delayed flights
Dublin Airport travelers who want to fly out this week should plan to arrive up to three hours before their flights. Staff shortages caused large lineups at the departure area over the weekend, resulting in several passengers missing their flights.
Huge lines snaked through the departure lounges at both Terminal One and Terminal Two, according to photographs shared on social media today by passengers.
A number airport passengers took to social media to express their dissatisfaction with the lengthy wait time required to cross security – including one guy who claimed he missed his flight after waiting for more than two hours to get through.
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An official from the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) confirmed the report in an email to Independent.
i.e. that a scarcity of security personnel is to blame for the delays, and that they have apologized to individuals who have been inconvenienced.
The DAA, on the other hand, cautioned that the situation is expected to worsen in the coming weeks as new employees are vetted and trained, which might take several weeks in total.
Long-haul passengers should come at least three hours before their scheduled boarding time, while passengers on short-haul flights should arrive at least two hours before their scheduled boarding time, according to the airline.
We are working extremely hard to ramp up our operations at Dublin Airport, as we have at other airports throughout Europe, following the collapse of international travel over the past two years. This includes the hiring and training of new staff after 1,000 employees left the airport as part of the Covid-19 pandemic voluntary severance scheme, according to a statement.
Despite the fact that more than 100 additional security personnel have been hired since the beginning of 2022, training and background checks for all airport employees will take a number of weeks to complete.
Passengers’ wait times at security checkpoints are increasing as a result of this, especially during peak travel periods, according to the statement.
“Please accept our apologies in advance, but lineups for security are likely to be seen at peak hours in the next days and weeks as we continue to bring trained personnel on board.”
“In order to minimize the effect, we recommend all travellers to check in their luggage wherever possible and to take just the bare minimum with them when they show themselves at security.”
According to the DAA, several passengers were unable to make it to their planes as a result of the delays.
A large number of those customers have been rebooked or accommodated on subsequent flights, the Department of Transportation said.
Customer service representatives at Dublin Airport are ready to answer any queries that travellers may have about their legal rights. Customer service representatives may be reached via phone at +353 1 9444717 or by email at [email protected],” the official said.