Long queues and missed flights as Dublin Airport faces security staff shortages

Passengers posted images on social media today of huge queues snaking through the departure lounges at both Terminal One and Terminal Two.

Some passengers posted comments online in which they complained of having to wait at least an hour to clear security – including one man who said he missed his flight after waiting for more than two hours to get through.

A spokesman for the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) said in a statement to Independent.ie that a shortage of security staff is responsible for the delays and apologised to those affected.

However, the DAA warned that the problem is likely to persist in the coming weeks as new staff are vetted and trained, which could take a number of weeks.

It advised passengers on short-haul flights to arrive at least two hours before their boarding time while those on long-haul flights should arrive at least three hours ahead of time.

"Like other airports all over Europe, we are currently working extremely hard to ramp up our operation at Dublin Airport after the collapse of international travel over the past two years including the hiring and training of staff after 1,000 workers left the airport under a voluntary severance scheme during the Covid-19 pandemic," the statement said.

Despite the recruitment of more than 100 new security staff since the start of 2022, training and background checks for all airport staff will take a number of weeks.

"This is having an impact on the length of time it is taking passengers to get through security, particularly at busy times," the statement said.

"We apologise in advance but queues for security are likely to be experienced at peak hours over the days and weeks ahead as we continue to bring trained staff on board."

"To minimise the impact, we encourage all passengers to check in bags where they can and to carry the minimum amount with them when presenting at security.”

The DAA also said that some passengers missed their flights due to the delays.

"Thankfully, many of those passengers have been accommodated on later flights or have rebooked," the DAA said.

“Dublin Airport's customer service team is available to answer any questions that impacted passengers may have regarding their rights. They can be contacted on +353 1 9444717 or via email: customerexperience@dublinairport.com,” the spokesman added.