The chaotic scenes at Dublin Airport security have been well-documented.
As the airport has ramped up operations in the aftermath of the pandemic, short-staffing has caused significant delays, with queues at both Terminals 1 and 2 stretching outside of the terminal buildings and passengers waiting hours to get to their gates.
Dara Ó Briain is one of many recent high-profile figures to lament his experience travelling through Terminal 2, taking to Twitter to voice his frustration.
Read more: Dublin Airport queues: Woman nearly fainted when she saw 'the horror that was waiting for me'
Staffing issues have also had a concerning impact on safety. An EU audit conducted in April produced alarming results, with seven prohibited items including guns and explosives passing through security unchecked.
It is clear that current security operations are unfit for purpose on a number of measures and need a fundamental revamp.
However, it is not just security that needs an overhaul. It is before even arriving at the airport that the problems begin.
Transport links to the international hub are incredibly limited, especially in comparison to our European counterparts.
With the permanent cancellation of the Airlink last year due to Covid, the airport is served by just two Dublin Bus routes, and while there are a small number of commercial coach services connecting the city centre too, these are more expensive and provide little in terms of coverage of the city.
The airport is not served by the Luas network either, and plans for the MetroLink, an underground service to connect Swords and the airport to the city centre, have been delayed to some time after 2031.
The lack of transport connections is something that regularly perplexes and is commented on by tourists, and was certainly something I noticed when I moved to Dublin in 2020.
Its relative inaccessibility in comparison to equivalent airports on the continent, or even larger regional airports closer to home in the U.K such as Birmingham (which is served by rail and bus links) makes travelling to Dublin a less appealing prospect.
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When you do finally arrive at the airport and have successfully fought your way through the queues, the experience airside is far from pleasant.
In stark contrast to the elegance of the original 1940s terminal, Terminal 1 is tired and dated, with its grey concrete finned exterior creating an unwelcoming environment for passengers.
While there are plans to give the exterior a much-needed refurbishment, this only deals with part of the problem.
The terminal’s interior is equally uninspiring with little with regards to natural light and seemingly designed to take you through a series of never-ending corridors to your gate with walks taking up to 25 minutes, via limited and unjustifiably expensive food and drink options and few shopping opportunities.
Whilst Terminal 2 is undeniably more aesthetically pleasing, its retail and food options leave a lot to be desired. There are even fewer options than in Terminal 1, and the outlets that are available are shockingly expensive for underwhelming quality.
On a recent trip home to London, I found myself paying over 10 euro for a plate of cold baked beans, an even colder fried egg and a singular dry sausage, astutely avoiding the inexplicable 4 euro being charged for a bottle of Coke. It appears I was not alone in my experience – there are over 100 ‘terrible’ reviews for the food offerings in the terminal on Trip Advisor.
Dublin as a capital city and as the primary international gateway to Ireland deserves a better airport than its current offering. As the home of the national flag carrier Aer Lingus and Europe’s largest budget airline Ryanair, it should reflect the wonderfully hospitable and welcoming culture this country is famous for.
Dubliners deserve to be proud of their airport, and for this to happen, a radical rethink is required.
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