OVER 1,000 people yesterday missed flights departing from Dublin Airport due to extreme queues to enter the terminal building and to get through security, the daa has said.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Head of Communications for operator daa said that a tally will be carried out this morning to get a final figure for those who missed flights.
"At this stage we estimate over 1,000 passengers ... we will be doing a final tally with all our airline partners and customers again this morning to ascertain the final number," he said.
"But certainly at this stage, it’s well over 1,000 passengers, and we unreservedly apologise".
Junior Transport Minister Hildegarde Naughton and Minister of Transport Eamon Ryan have expressed deep unhappiness at the situation, with Naughton to meet with daa Chief Executive this morning to discuss the crisis.
"The passenger experience at Dublin Airport is falling short of the service that our citizens and visitors should expect at our largest State airport," they said in a statement.
They said that it was not satisfactory that some people, who are following daa guidelines, are turning up to the airport for check-in on time, but are still missing their flights.
Ms Naughton said she will be seeking assurances for passengers ahead of this coming bank holiday weekend, when a further increase in passenger numbers is expected.
She has held daily meetings with the daa chief executive at the height of the security delay issues when hey emerged first in March, and has been holding twice weekly meetings since then.
Operations at Dublin Airport are said to be running more smoothly today, with currently no queues outside the terminal buildings. Some queues formed for a time earlier this morning outside terminal one, with a temporary set down zone in operation briefly.
Extra security lanes were opened early this morning to cater for the anticipated early arrival of passengers, with 45,000 people due to depart from Dublin airport today.
Fine Gael TD Kieran O’Donnell, also speaking on Morning Ireland, said a similar situation occurred on Saturday, and that "excuses an apologies are not good enough anymore."
"We need to have solutions as to how they're going to ensure that this isn't repeated next weekend, during the June bank holiday weekend for them and how they will deal with recompensing all those passengers that actually missed their flights."
Sinn Féin TD Darren O'Rourke said the delays are a failure of management and has called on the daa to ensure passengers are compensated, no penalised, for missing their flights as a result of the delay.
Teachta O'Rourke said:
“We have witnessed chaotic scenes at Dublin Airport again today and with the likely consequence of passengers missing their flights. This is completely unacceptable. It is a failure of management. It is a failure to prepare for known demand.
"Referring passengers back to their airlines to rebook is an insult. Passengers are set to miss flights through no fault of their own.
“The DAA are responsible for managing the airport and, as such, it is their responsibility to ensure systems are in place to provide for the timely through-put of passengers."
