DAA told TDs of ‘positive progress’ on queues days before Dublin Airport debacle

Politicians were reassured that Dublin Airport was making “positive progress” on key areas including security queuing just days before chaotic scenes last weekend led to more than 1,000 people missing flights.

Airport operator, State company DAA, said on Monday that the absence of 17 security staff rostered to work sparked the delays.

In a letter sent last Friday to the chair of the Oireachtas transport committee, Kieran O’Donnell, DAA said its teams were “working tirelessly” and that while operational challenges persisted in some areas at peak times, it was “pleased to report that we are making positive progress across a range of key areas, which has led to an improved service level overall”.

In the letter, DAA chief executive Dalton Philips said 94 per cent of departing passengers were through security in 45 minutes or less, and 80 per cent in less than half an hour. He said a new “stretch model” in security screening areas had been developed to “optimise our existing resources and enable the opening of additional lanes”. It said security lanes had been extended and “more space has been created to help improve lane performance”.

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He wrote that additional testing machines had been installed alongside a wide range of other measures that were designed to “improve the overall passenger experience”.

DAA has apologised for the weekend’s scenes, saying passenger numbers had rebounded more quickly than expected as the airport managed staffing issues.

Mr O’Donnell said that the committee had sought an update on operational matters last Wednesday. “They came back very late on Friday, saying things were basically in hand and improving,” he said.

It has also emerged that the airport also faces cash penalties for the delays. Regulators said DAA could face “financial penalties” for hold-ups that lasted longer than the 30 minutes that Dublin Airport has agreed should be the maximum that travellers spend going through security.

DAA pledged to compensate the people who missed their flights. Laws entitling passengers to refunds for delayed or cancelled flights only apply to airlines, not airports. However, the Commission for Aviation Regulation, which sets the airport’s charges, said it would not be possible to calculate the likely penalties until early next year, as they are tied to the total number of passengers that will pass through Dublin this year.

Under a service agreement with DAA, the commission can “adjust” some of the money Dublin Airport earned from charges levied on airlines for security queue delays.