Cash Cow. (Dublin Airport (DUB))

Member Name: B Flanagan

Product:	Dublin Airport (DUB)
Date:	10/08/08 (37 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: None.

Disadvantages: Too numerous to mention.

As I was born and reared in Dublin I feel that I am well qualified to write a review of Dublin Airport. Over the years I have flown out of it and collected passengers many times. My early memories of the airport are happy ones, but as the years pass by I find that the airport is loosing its charm.
As a young boy, my parents would bring me and my brother out every few months or so to watch the planes flying in and out and to have lunch. We used to look forward to it so much. That was about 30 to 35 years ago and the airport was a totally different place then. It was friendly and a peaceful place to be. Admittedly there was not as much traffic and parking was not a problem. One could sit for hours in the old terminal people watching and seeing the planes landing and taking off. Happy memories.
Now, its a different story altogether. Now it can't cope with the numbers using it. Even to drop someone off at the "set down only" is stressful. It seems to be "survival of the fittest." There seems to be no rules. Cars just stop in the middle of the road and unload. You can see Airport Police Officers standing around but that's all they do.
Then when you get inside, it gets worse. Totally overcrowded. Chaos. I have seen employees having to move queues to allow through flow of people.
To get through security takes some time. We all know how important security is but surely more gates need to be opened. If passenger numbers double surely security gates should double also. Not in Dublin Airport. Aer Rianta seem only interested in profits. They have a huge captive audience and milk it to the hilt. Shame on them.
After one gets through security you generally have time to kill before your flight. Generally we head to the bar. Now I have to admit that the bar standards have improved over the years but hygiene hasn't. I was under the impression that every bar and food outlet in Ireland had to have a toilet for its customers. Apparently not Dublin Airport. How they can get away with this is unbelievable. You pay over the odds for food and drink but have to walk long distances to avail of the toilet facilities. Could any bar in Ireland get away with this? Imagine going in to some bar in Kerry [ for example] and the bar man telling you that you had to go up the street to the public toilets! Surely with all the money they are making they could provide one. What happens with the elderly? Maybe an official from the Department of Health needs to pay a visit.
Last week I had to collect my brother from the airport. After about twenty minutes trying to secure a parking place I go to the arrivals area which is on the ground floor. After I established that the flight was delayed [not at all unusual] I went looking for a seat. Any time previous to this visit, I never had a problem getting a seat. However, Aer Rianta has decided to limit the number of seats. I counted 32 in total. 32 seats to cater for the hoards of people collecting passengers. I had over an hour to kill and as a matter of principle I would not go to a restaurant or bar in order to be seated. Why should one have to pay to sit in the airport?
When my brother emerged through the arrival gate he too thought that the airport has gone down hill. He said that he heard numerous passengers complain about their treatment. I pointed out the seating, or lack of, to him, and he was amazed.
We went out to the car park; 7.50Euro for the privilege of standing around watching two doors opening and closing every few seconds.
Being a proud Dub and Irish man it saddens me to see people being treated like this in our country. What sort of message does this give to visitors? Dublin Airport is an embarrassment. What are they doing with all the money they make? How much are the directors earning?
Personally, if there was another airport I could use, I would.
Bring back the old Dublin Airport. The one we were all proud of. Not the money making machine that sits out there in Cloghran.

Summary: Dublin Airport needs competition badly. Somebody needs to be sacked.