DUBLIN AIRPORT WAS fined €600,000 in 2018 over delays experienced by passengers getting through security.

The airport was penalised by the Commission for Aviation Regulation (CAR) for four breaches of the maximum security queue time.

This is the highest number of breaches recorded at the airport since 2013.

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All of the breaches last year occurred in Terminal 1. The longest queue time experienced by passengers was 55 minutes in May 2018. Queue times for security check should not exceed 30 minutes. 

CAR penalises airports if targets are not met. These targets also relate to cleanliness, helpfulness of staff and people’s ease of finding their way around the airport.

A spokesperson for Dublin Airport told TheJournal.ie: “Unfortunately, we failed to meet the regulator’s security queue target of 30 minutes on four occasions last year.

“We sincerely regret that as Dublin Airport’s aim is always to offer our customers the type of quality travel experience that they expect. We continue to strive to improve the product that we offer to our customers across the business.”

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The spokesperson added that more than 60% of passengers using Dublin Airport last year went through security in less than 10 minutes, 90% of passengers went through security in less than 15 minutes and 98% of passengers went through in less than 20 minutes.

The airport has been recruiting additional security staff as passengers numbers have increased in recent years.

Passenger Advisory Group 

The principal function of CAR is to set the maximum level of airport charges at Dublin Airport, also known as the price cap. Airport charges are levied by Dublin Airport to airlines for the processing of passengers and for use of the airport infrastructure.

In 2018, the price cap per passenger was €9.59. Prices are generally set for a five-year cycle and will be set for 2020-2024 this year. 

The €600,000 penalty refers to a reduction in the charges Dublin Airport were able to collect as a result of the delays. 

CAR is currently assessing Dublin Airport’s capital investment plans for 2020-2024. Dublin Airport’s draft plan is for €1.7 billion of investment, including €1 billion in large-scale capacity projects. 

CAR yesterday launched a Passenger Advisory Group with the goal of improving its understanding of “what is important to passengers at Dublin Airport”.

In a statement, a spokesperson for CAR said the group will assist the regulatory body in “examining how passenger priorities are addressed by Dublin Airport, in relation to the service quality offered and the five-year capital investment programme planned at the airport”.

The group has 13 representatives from organisations that represent the diversity of passengers at Dublin Airport:

• Leisure passengers are represented by the Consumer’s Association of Ireland, the European Consumer Centre and Fáilte Ireland
• Older passengers are represented by Age Action and younger passengers by the National Youth Council of Ireland
• People with reduced mobility or disabilities are represented by the National Disability Authority, the Disability Stakeholders Group, the Irish Society for Autism, the National Council for the Blind Ireland and Alzheimer’s Europe
• Business passengers are represented by the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC), Chambers Ireland and the IDA