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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
Ciara Phelan

Dublin Airport to put passengers who arrive too early in 'holding area' to avoid queues over bank holiday weekend

Holidaymakers who arrive too early for their flights at Dublin Airport will be put in a designated holding area to avoid chaotic queues this bank holiday weekend.

The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) will outline a plan at the Dail’s Transport Committee on Wednesday as its CEO, Dalton Philips is set to face a grilling over the mismanagement at the airport over the weekend when 1,400 people missed their flight.

The advice to passengers due to fly out of Dublin Airport over the coming period is to arrive at the airport at least two-and-a-half hours before the departure of short-haul flights to Europe and the UK, and at least three-and-a-half hours for long-haul flights.

READ MORE: ‘If looks could kill’ - Spain holiday airport chaos reported by Brits while Irish ‘sail through'

Passengers that arrive too early for their flights will be asked to wait in a passenger holding area.

Mr Philips will tell the Committee: "At times when the terminals get particularly busy, we will be triaging access to the terminals and only allowing departing passengers into the departures level that have flights departing within two and a half hours to short-haul destinations and three and a half for long-haul destinations.

"For departing passengers, access to the appropriate terminals will be controlled and will require the presentation of documentation indicating the time of flight such as a booking confirmation or boarding card.”

Mr Philips will say that DAA "will put in place bad weather cover, seating, and toilets in the holding area as quickly as possible in the coming days following trialling of this system over the June bank holiday weekend."

Mr Philips will say: "Though challenges remain the measures we have taken will very substantially mitigate risk this weekend and beyond.

“And, should unanticipated issues arise, we have appropriate escalation and triage mechanisms focused on ensuring no passengers will miss their flights.”

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