Dublin Airport Immigration Control Section

thatsnotmyname · 06-04-2009 6:24pm

I think this action which has being carried out by the Garda since Christmas is a joke
it gives vistor's to the country a very bad first impression.

as if the state of our economy was'nt embarrasing enough

Red Sleeping Beauty · 06-04-2009 6:44pm

Rawr wrote: »

Thanks Alan for the heads up. I'm going to try and mentally prepare the GF for arse-wise mess of things, that the powers-that-be in Ireland can make.

I was hoping that she'd be spared of that until at least we got out the Departure exit

I don't imagine that Pier B would suffer the same problems as D, Fred. Pier D appears to be designed, to be the corral in which to herd those of us who choose Ryanair. Therefore, probably tonnes more people in and out of D.

Whenever I could afford it, or the prices weren't too bad, I'd take SAS back to Ireland. One advantage being, that I'd get to use Pier B both ways. But since T2 construction began, SAS (and a few others) now go to Pier D, probably making things worse, capacity wise.

Jebus, I hate Pier D.

It's incredibly unfair for anyone trying to catch the last bus cause you basically can't even stagger a guess as to how long of a wait you have!

I've flown to Glasgow and it's usually from A 12ish but coming back you can arrive at any gate/pier.

thatsnotmyname wrote: »

I think this action which has being carried out by the Garda since Christmas is a joke
it gives vistor's to the country a very bad first impression.

as if the state of our economy was'nt embarrasing enough

Well I don't think they're still doing their go slow "cold" protest* because I've seen people waved through with a quick look at their passport - the guy at the booth I was at was on his mobile ffs!!

*whereby they were taking the names of everyone passing through and also their photograph I believe.

ixoy · 06-04-2009 7:39pm

Was there today (flew in with SAD to Pier B... I think) and it was fine.

Baggage was a different story though - seemed to take an inordinately long time for it start up compared to other airports I've been in.

Heineken Helen · 06-04-2009 8:12pm

Alan Rouge wrote: »

It's not just that "go slow" cold protest that is holding up the immigration sections, it's that all UK and domestic arrivals (ie, inland ffs! ie you have not left the country!) are huddled into the one area which is utter madness.

There's various reports (via posts here or on other forums) that on some days you'll breeze past the immigration in a few minutes but there's more posts about delays.

Sorry for the ranting but it's a pi$$ poor situation I think.

Until this year I was quite a frequent flyer... many months 2 or 3 times and I was always very pleased with how quick it was in Dublin. If there was a queue it was unusual. When you come back from a holiday, of course you want to get out of the airport straight away and get home... but Dublin was one of the most pleasant airports I've found to get through.

KC61 · 06-04-2009 8:22pm

The problems all seem to be at the combined immigration hall for piers A and D.

Pier B, with fewer flights, seems to suffer far less delays.

Fratton Fred · 06-04-2009 11:13pm

Alan Rouge wrote: »

I think A&B come through the same door into the Immigration hall don't they ?

The departures/security screening is a different problem in a different area. This immigration problem is between the DAA and GNIB I think. At least it is regarding the CTA. There's a few threads on politics.ie on the issue.

I thought it was A and D that use the same immigration area, I wouldn't swear to that though.

I know screening is a different problem, I had to say something though, it was terrible.:)

Fratton Fred · 06-04-2009 11:17pm

ixoy wrote: »

Was there today (flew in with SAD to Pier B... I think) and it was fine.

Baggage was a different story though - seemed to take an inordinately long time for it start up compared to other airports I've been in.

If you come in on pier B you get to the baggage hall really quick, so it seems like ages til the luggage comes. I don't think Dublin is too bad (Although it does have its moments) but it can just seem like it.

Heathrow is a nightmare, it seems as though the baggage handlers unload the plane and then go for a cup of tea before loading it on to the carousel:mad:

Red Sleeping Beauty · 07-04-2009 10:17pm

Fratton Fred wrote: »

I thought it was A and D that use the same immigration area, I wouldn't swear to that though.

I know screening is a different problem, I had to say something though, it was terrible.:)

Nope, A comes in from the right hand side and D comes in from the left but there's a stairs that leads down the Immigration from a huge walkway from D and that's where there's a problem cause you've to queue like sheep in this corridor to be let down the stairs.

KC61 · 07-04-2009 10:55pm

Alan Rouge wrote: »

Nope, A comes in from the right hand side and D comes in from the left but there's a stairs that leads down the Immigration from a huge walkway from D and that's where there's a problem cause you've to queue like sheep in this corridor to be let down the stairs.

Ultimately passengers from piers A and D have to go through the same Garda Immigration section, but Pier B has its own.

Pier B has 8 gates, far fewer than the other piers, (12 in pier D and something similar in pier A).

There are far more booths in the A/D immigration hall, but the chances of several flights arriving together are far greater than in pier B, so the impact of this industrial action is potentially higher as well.

ManofMunster · 07-04-2009 11:07pm

it did mildly amuse me that they constructed a proper immigration desk at dublin airport right at the end of the biggest period of immigration in the state's history. reminds me of how they put through all those building regulations to make the industry greener just when the nation had just about stopped building homes. genius.

so is that garda go-slow industrial action at the airport over now? think it was something to do with lunch allowances - guess they must got those extra donuts they were holding out for.

Carawaystick · 07-04-2009 11:09pm

KC61 wrote: »

There are far more booths in the A/D immigration hall, but the chances of several flights arriving together are far greater than in pier B, so the impact of this industrial action is potentially higher as well.

That and the Garda booths are completely in the wrong direction to deal with the flow of passengers. As well as being in the wrong place. There should have been segregation buildt into Pier D so Domestic and CTA flights avoid delaying these with immigraton, domestic passengers especially.

A Dub in Glasgo · 07-04-2009 11:22pm

Put simply, it is a very badly designed facility

Red Sleeping Beauty · 07-04-2009 11:50pm

KC61 wrote: »

Ultimately passengers from piers A and D have to go through the same Garda Immigration section, but Pier B has its own.

Pier B has 8 gates, far fewer than the other piers, (12 in pier D and something similar in pier A).

There are far more booths in the A/D immigration hall, but the chances of several flights arriving together are far greater than in pier B, so the impact of this industrial action is potentially higher as well.

A has up to 20-30 gates I think. Don't think I've ever arrived at "B"

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

Put simply, it is a very badly designed facility

I know

Glagsow is feckin brilliant in comparisson - little shuttle bus brings you to your Irish arrivals section and away you go.

dubb · 15-06-2009 2:57pm

Folks, you're missing the point completely by comparing queues at desks from terminals A, B, D, etc. The cause is not the setup of the desks, it's the Garda go-slow. It's hard to believe this is still going on. Such greed looking to hold on to allowances not due, especially when you look at the number of people who have lost jobs this year.

The immigration Gardaí can make any queue as long as they like, and have all sorts of tactics for doing it - messing up the signage, not opening desks, loo breaks, lots of questions, and just general go slow.

They're a disgrace to their uniform and their country.

Red Sleeping Beauty · 16-06-2009 3:41am

Is the go-slow still going slow? 5 months later ?

You're correct though, not opening enough desks and unnecessary Spanish inquisition style interrogations of passengers both cause massive queues. I don't know whose responsibility the signage lies with. DAA I think.

Oh , and the lack of a domestic/UK arrivals is the other main cause.

cfcj · 16-06-2009 4:59am

Do you remember when they didn't care and just used to look at the front of your passport?... I have a friend from the US who was staying here way past the time on her visa. They never checked it. So I'm glad they are being a bit more thorough.

Though what I witnessed at Dulles Airport in Washington was completely outrageous... Firstly passport control is in a separate room that is very quiet and clinical and there had to be about 300 or so of us snaked around a third of the room. There was a couple, English couple, a few people in front of us who caused all sorts of problems... it was a long flight of course and neither officer or passenger were not in good form. Basically they asked the wife to come to the desk first (like supermarket tills) and the husband came also.. this angered the officer and it just went from ridiculous to ridiculous cause then the husband started arguing and butting in etc which made the whole thing worse and it took about a half an hour to calm the whole thing down.. and there was only 2 officers there and both of them ended up involved in the dispute. When your dying to get out of the airport its the last thing you want. Basically it extended the flight by over an hour to get this sorted out cause then they went down to one officer, the other one taking the couple into a private room. Ohh and people should have all their documents ready... typical stuff, fumbling for passports in the bottom of some bag when they get to the officer .

Red Sleeping Beauty · 16-06-2009 5:03am

Or America could stop treating everyone as a criminal. Just a thought....

cfcj · 16-06-2009 5:12am

in all my trips to the US I've never once had that impression personally. Passport control is just one of those things, can't do anything about it... but I'm sure you'll agree you do get idiots who have to rock the boat, think everything is a joke and above having their passport checked

DCTF · 17-06-2009 11:56am

Why do people feel it's their right to stroll past the box with a flash of the passport?

If you go to any of the American airports and see how it's done approximately 4-5 mins on average per person so to get a family of 4 through probably 15 mins. We queued for approximately an 90 mins and then along with everyone else had to claim our bags and then hand them back over for x-ray once more.

I was in Orlando recently and the Dept. of Homeland Security officals were quite strict and took no messing from anyone. You had your cards to fill in, then have your photo taken, then have your fingerprints done on an electronic reader along with some of the mandatory questions about previous visits to the United States.

If the Garda want's to inspect your passport, or ask you some questions regardless of where you've travelled from that's fine. Just queue up and answer the questions and get it over with and let the next person through. Also if people had their passports out and ready rather than in the bottom of their hand luggage when they get to the booth it would speed up things also.

I do believe that domestic and uk flights should be contained at another pier and then brought throught a segregation area keeping the passangers seperate from other destinations however this is currently not the case when the airport upgrades are complete maybe this will be done.

We as a nation have a serious problem with queueing for anything and for rules and regulations and people working in positions of authority.

US Homeland Security Fingerprint Scanner

A Family is processed

Department of Homeland Security

latenia · 17-06-2009 12:10pm

DCTF wrote: »

We as a nation have a serious problem with queueing for anything and for rules and regulations and people working in positions of authority.

Department of Homeland Security

It would be sad day for Ireland if we didn't have a problem with this kind of sh1t.

DCTF · 17-06-2009 12:55pm

latenia wrote: »

It would be sad day for Ireland if we didn't have a problem with this kind of sh1t.

The US isn't the only place with armed police operating in it's airports and major transport terminals ie, bus and rail stations. Just because we don't operate these policy's it doesn't mean it's extreme or not normal.

I was just pointing out that we tend to complain if there's a queue and people are being checked and complian when there's nobody there and no checks. And the fact we don't queue for anything anywhere, shops, traffic, banks and airports. People have the don't stop me but you should be checking everyone else.

Heathrow

Manchester

Glasgow

Brazil

Paris

Spain

Carawaystick · 17-06-2009 3:48pm

DCTF wrote: »

If the Garda want's to inspect your passport, or ask you some questions regardless of where you've travelled from that's fine. Just queue up and answer the questions and get it over with and let the next person through.

There is no way it is ok for a garda to delay a person travelling from one part of Ireland to Dublin and demanding to see their passport. It doesn't happen at the other airports flying around this country.
Do you think it'd be fine to be delayed for over an hour if you were to get the train from Maynooth to Connolly because CIE badly designed a queueing system and the Gardaí thought it'd be fine to delay all the customers?

DCTF · 17-06-2009 4:27pm

Carawaystick wrote: »

There is no way it is ok for a garda to delay a person travelling from one part of Ireland to Dublin and demanding to see their passport. It doesn't happen at the other airports flying around this country.
Do you think it'd be fine to be delayed for over an hour if you were to get the train from Maynooth to Connolly because CIE badly designed a queueing system and the Gardaí thought it'd be fine to delay all the customers?

The fact that the stands used by domestic, uk and international flights are all shared rather than having a domestic and international terminal like other major airports seems to be your issue then. The Gardai don't control the stands used they just operate the booths. If the Dublin Airport Authority forces all passangers to queue at the same booths thats the DAA's fault. As I already outlined when the upgrades are finished at the airport maybe a segregated system will be in operation. Until then your forced to queue.

Can I take it from your comments then that you don't have a problem with the delays forced on international passanger arriving?

Carawaystick · 17-06-2009 6:04pm

DCTF wrote: »

Can I take it from your comments then that you don't have a problem with the delays forced on international passanger arriving?

Nope

MOH · 18-06-2009 11:52am

Carawaystick wrote: »

Do you think it'd be fine to be delayed for over an hour if you were to get the train from Maynooth to Connolly because CIE badly designed a queueing system and the Gardaí thought it'd be fine to delay all the customers?

Don't think CIE need the Gardai to delay people by an hour, they're quite capable of doing that by themselves.

But it is daft that there's no segregation for domestic arrivals.

Red Sleeping Beauty · 18-06-2009 12:11pm

DCTF wrote: »

The fact that the stands used by domestic, uk and international flights are all shared rather than having a domestic and international terminal like other major airports seems to be your issue then. The Gardai don't control the stands used they just operate the booths. If the Dublin Airport Authority forces all passangers to queue at the same booths thats the DAA's fault. As I already outlined when the upgrades are finished at the airport maybe a segregated system will be in operation. Until then your forced to queue.

Can I take it from your comments then that you don't have a problem with the delays forced on international passanger arriving?

The Garda National Immigration Bureau would still have to ok the diversion of arrivals. I suspect it's a "catch all" scenario in Dublin because of its size and just to make it difficult for anyone trying to travel "illegally".

They should in fact be called "The Garda Dublin Immigration Bureau".

samhannah · 28-02-2011 8:53pm

I had the same problem at 2.30pm yesterday.When I asked the garda why there was only one booth open ,he made smart comments.I asked him for his name,he refused and said if I went to the end of the queue (300 people approx.)he would give me his name.Typical ignorant guard.what impression does this give visitors to this country? I have decided to complain to The Garda Ombudsman about him and I am going to write to the Garda Commissioner.I have had enough of incompetent public servants.

Del2005 · 01-03-2011 10:14am

All you need is their shoulder numbers to make a complaint.

ongarboy · 01-03-2011 1:33pm

samhannah wrote: »

I had the same problem at 2.30pm yesterday.When I asked the garda why there was only one booth open ,he made smart comments.I asked him for his name,he refused and said if I went to the end of the queue (300 people approx.)he would give me his name.Typical ignorant guard.what impression does this give visitors to this country? I have decided to complain to The Garda Ombudsman about him and I am going to write to the Garda Commissioner.I have had enough of incompetent public servants.

Well done, I'm glad you are taking this further through the formal channels. This is dreadful behaviour from a member of the Garda Siochana. I acknowledge that it is not that individual Garda's fault that there is only one booth open but he could have at least provided a polite response as to why this situation arose or if he was not at liberty to say, he could suggest how you can formally voice your concern regarding it. Instead he has turned this from an issue on understaffed checking to obnoxious and appalling customer service.

The Gardai do such a wonderful job generally. It's a shame that there are bad apples within the force that drag down the reputation of an otherwise good organisation. Keep us updated if you get anywhere with this.

BenShermin · 01-03-2011 4:12pm

Carawaystick wrote: »

There is no way it is ok for a garda to delay a person travelling from one part of Ireland to Dublin and demanding to see their passport. It doesn't happen at the other airports flying around this country.
Do you think it'd be fine to be delayed for over an hour if you were to get the train from Maynooth to Connolly because CIE badly designed a queueing system and the Gardaí thought it'd be fine to delay all the customers?

I fly internally quite a bit and never show a passport to the GNIB. I instead show them my boarding card and tell them that I just arrived from Cork/Galway/Sligo etc.

I've yet to come across a Garda having a problem with letting me through on the boarding pass alone.

Dublin Airport Immigration Control Section

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