Security in Knock Airport(or lack of it!)

johnnyboy4711

i parked the car at Ireland west airport on Thursday 11th Oct 2007 for the weekend.
All well!
Imagine my surprise when relaxing on my sisters lounge in the UK at 11pm Saturday I get a call from Swinford Garda telling me that my car and over 30 others had been broken into in the secure, surveillanced car park of the airport ; Just Great!!! I thought to myself!
Not exactly!
Anyway it was late so I called the Garda station on the following day, Sunday (the day I was flying back to Knock airport).
They fully sympathised with mine and over 30 other holidaymakers that were going to arrive back into knock for a nice surprise. I also called the airport security (or lack of!) and the washed their hands of it stating the garda “were now handling it!” Maybe if security “handled it” the previous night these hoodlums would not managed to get at over 30 cars!
So no soot there! Upon arriving into knock airport I went straight to the security desk to be confronted with “there was a couple of car break-ins over the weekend”
Then I was presented with a hastily prepared letter of non-responsibility “as patrons park at own risk etc” but as a gesture they would waive my parking fee which amounted to 28€. (How kind!)Also they stated that I should check with my insurance company, do they think were total fools?
I checked out the airports website and there was no mentioned of parking at own risk, it just states
“
For security reasons the Car Park is only open to the public when the airport is open. The Car Park is covered by 24-hour security surveillance and the entire site is locked down every evening”
Fair enough, but my question is two-fold,
1/What am I paying my parking fee (plus my 10€ development fee) for if not for secure parking?
I would take this as a given!
2/If the car park at the airport is not secure, why don’t we all park outside it as it seems to be as secure as inside the fence?(plus saving a few bob!!!)
I can safely say that I am not alone in this plus the fact that Ireland West airport will not have the benefit of my custom again.
Yours
John Mannion

BuffyBot

I don't know why you've posted this here. A letter to someone important at the airport seems the most obvious choice, failing that a blog might be a more appropriate place, but failing that I'm sending it over to the appropriate local forum...

Owen

Jesus. No car park is secure, whether it's at the airport, or in the Multistorey in your local town. They refunded you, and the Gardaí are investigating the crime. Your insurance company are the only people responsible for replacing lost goods, and repairing your vehicle. The Airport hardly has any responsibility in this matter.

threebeards

ned78 wrote: »

Jesus. No car park is secure, whether it's at the airport, or in the Multistorey in your local town. They refunded you, and the Gardaí are investigating the crime. Your insurance company are the only people responsible for replacing lost goods, and repairing your vehicle. The Airport hardly has any responsibility in this matter.

What he said.

johnnyboy4711

i better not go outside the door in future!
j

Avns1s

John,

I don't think anyone would be unsympathetic to your situation.

The point is though that this could have happened anywhere. If you live life worrying about things like this then you won't step outside the door.

Reality is that it was a few scumbags who perpetrated these acts, not anyone employed by the airport or the airport itself. They have, I understand been apprehended, and this might be of some use but I would guess that the old saying about "blood out of a stone" comes to mind.

Look, if it were something that was perpetrated againg your person, it'd be a lot worse. I do hope you get it covered ideally from the scumbags themselves and if not then from the insurance.

dirtydress

Yes this could have happened anywhere but thirty cars were broken into, thirty. Theres was obviously some period where there was a total lack of security for them to get into that many and that IS the problem of the security. I wonder were there any damages? I'm originally from Mayo and it seems we're paying that "development fee" for an awful long time with virtually no changes being made. Very annoying place to fly to/from.

Mike...

I really hate Knock Airport,that development fee is a scam,The security is a joke....

Neworder79

Sorry to hear about the robbery John, there seems to be a lot of them happening in the Charlestown area lately and I know a lot of people who have had cars broken into.

On the fees, it costs a huge amount to maintain the staffing, technology, infrastructure, fire service, ATC, aircraft handling, marketing and insurance requirements necessary to run a modern airport. Knock is reliant on the low fares carriers, and doesn't have the luxury high fees that the larger airports can justify. They received no Government support for years and without the development fee they would have struggled to keep the current level of services running or develop the facility at all.

Not all of the spending is visible to the average user as the terminal hasn't been upgraded in a long time. But they are investing a total of 46M including the Governments recent investment of 27M in the next 3 years. The fire services have been upgraded to one of the best in the country and a new runway inspection road and perimeter security fence has been completed.

Work on a new security screening, baggage and departures lounge is due to begin soon though it has been held up by environmental activists. Next year they will double apron capacity, upgrade runway landing systems to CAT II and add runway end safety areas, all of which are major additions to the airports facilities and should lead to much better service.

Avns1s

dirtydress wrote: »

Yes this could have happened anywhere but thirty cars were broken into, thirty. Theres was obviously some period where there was a total lack of security for them to get into that many and that IS the problem of the security. I wonder were there any damages?

Have you been there recently? The Carpark area is a significant size and would take a lot of security staff to cover it. This is a rare and isolated incident in the area never mind the airport. The security present is adequate for almost all times.

dirtydress wrote: »

I'm originally from Mayo and it seems we're paying that "development fee" for an awful long time with virtually no changes being made.

The reason for the development fee is explained quite eloquently and accurately in the post by Neworder79. I personally don't like it.... BUT this is the price we pay to have the facility and the range of flights available. Personally, I think it should be included (concealed maybe) in cost of the flight but I wouldn't like to be trying to sell that to the likes of Michael O Leary and I know that it has been tried.

dirtydress wrote: »

Very annoying place to fly to/from.

So if you woke up to the news that Ireland West Airport was closing in the morning, you wouldn't be upset and you or your family, that presumably still live in Mayo, wouldn't be affected?

I can tell you that the ability to fly from aa Airport within an hours drive of home, with cheap and ample carparking (and generally adequate security) with a range of scheduled flights and holiday destinations is worth every penny of the development levy and any little annoyances associated with it being a smaller airport. This is particularly so on the return flight. There's nothing worse than getting in to Dublin Airport at 4.00 pm on a Friday and having to make your way to Mayo

alan4cult

*mono* wrote: »

I really hate Knock Airport,that development fee is a scam,The security is a joke....

It's not a scam. What is a scam is charging you that fee without you even knowing, which happens in Airports across the world. You pay for it in your ticket fare.

johnnyboy4711 wrote: »

I can safely say that I am not alone in this plus the fact that Ireland West airport will not have the benefit of my custom again.

What was wrong with the airport? The car park seems to have been your only problem You got from A to B and back again didn't you?

bowsie casey

I had my first experience of Knock Airport last week, flying in on Wednesday and out Thursday, and was very happy with the services there. I completely agree with Avns1s; any minor irritation caused by the development fee is more than made up for by having an airport in the area.

Avoiding a long drive up to Dublin and the HELL of Dublin airport is a big plus for me. In my experience, travelling to/from the smaller airports such as Shannon and Knock proves to be much less hassle, stress, time-consuming than large airports...

HPMan

Slightly off subject but more relating to homes, but including other premises open to the public, my belief is that all people have a Duty of Care and cannot exclude responsibility for injury, death, etc. You have a duty of care to even those people who do not have a specific right to be in your home - ie burgulars. If you have a bad step on your stairs and anyone hurts themselves - you are responsible. The remedy depends on whom it affects - a friend may just not call again for tea (lol) whilst a burgular is bound to sue for the hell of it. Signs limiting losses etc are more likely uninforceable. Like ost cases, it depends who has the loudest bark and / or the deepest bite.

serfboard

Those who "really hate Knock airport" and find it a "very annoying place to fly to/from" can exercise their right to drive to Shannon or Dublin. I presume ye don't mind possibly getting stuck in Claregalway/Gort or on the M50, and that ye don't mind the extra time it takes.

artieanna

serfboard wrote: »

Those who "really hate Knock airport" and find it a "very annoying place to fly to/from" can exercise their right to drive to Shannon or Dublin. I presume ye don't mind possibly getting stuck in Claregalway/Gort or on the M50, and that ye don't mind the extra time it takes.

HERE HERE

Dellboy2007

I think the airport had a duty of care towards John and his car. Ok they said "patrons park at their own risk", but, they are providing a service and as a result have a duty of care towards their customers. When they decided to start charging people for using their car park this "duty of care" meant that they *COULD* be liable for any negligence.

As "Dirtydress" mentioned, there was 30 cars broke into. It would be harsh to say that if one car was damaged then the airport was negligible. However, given the fact that the Car Park is covered by 24-hour security surveillance, one would have to question how the damage of 30 cars could go unnoticed. You would assume that the number of assalaints was less then 5. So that would mean they would each damage one car then go on to damage more. How much time would this have taken? I think it would have taken enough time for "24-hour security" to notice.

I think they are negligible, just because a Rollercoaster Ride says "patrons ride at their own risk" does not mean they are free from any liability. Also, where on the ticket or car park did it say "patrons park at their own risk"? I think you should talk to your solicitor. I would consider legal action, depending on amount of damage.

shakin

full time garda presence started this week

johnnyboy4711

this is a full time immigration force in Knock.
Not that any potential illegal could find the place!!!
once they did they would most probably want to go back on the plane!
j

donmeister

*mono* wrote: »

I really hate Knock Airport,that development fee is a scam,The security is a joke....

hit the nail on the head....but hey,beats driving for 4/5 hours to dublin airport!