Plans to prevent massive queues this June Bank Holiday weekend are set to be published in the next 24 hours.
Following huge queues at Dublin Airport this past weekend, the Dublin Airport Authority (daa) is set to publish plans to avoid similar scenes across the June Bank Holiday weekend.
Chief Executive Officer for the daa, Dalton Phillips, along with Executive Management, met with Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan and Minister of State with responsibility for international transport Hildegarde Naughton on Tuesday morning (31 May).
The new plans to improve queue management will likely remain in place during the busiest summer period as people prepare to go on holidays.
Tactics to avoid similar delays include maximising available staff, and increasing the number of security lanes at peak times.
The plans are close to being finalised, and are set to be published in the next 24 hours.
The daa is also intending to compensating passengers who missed flights over the weekend due to queues, although details on how it intends to do so have not yet been revealed.
Over 1,000 passengers missed flights on Sunday (29 May) due to issues at the airport, including queues going out the doors of Terminal 1.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, daa’s Head of Communications, Kevin Cullinane said an official figure on those who missed flights will be established on Monday morning.
“At this stage we estimate over 1,000 passengers,” Cullinane said.
“We will be doing a final tally with all our airline partners and customers again this morning to ascertain the final number.”
He added: “But certainly at this stage, it’s well over 1,000 passengers, and we unreservedly apologise.”
Ryanair CEO Eddie Wilson called for the army to get involved, and provide assistance to airport staff.
“We called for this last June with Eamon Ryan; you need to get the army in there,” Wilson said.
Wilson said that as the army already have security clearance, it would be quicker for them to be approved to work at security and in screening facilities.
“You’ve got a short-term problem. It’s not like hiring for a store or a factory. You need to get people who are security cleared. The army are security cleared already.
“It’s quite straightforward. This should have been done months ago.”
Airport management are set to meet with Ministers daily to provide updates on the situation.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
