Daa reviewing how man got on plane at Dublin Airport without passport or boarding pass
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A review is underway as to how a man managed to board a flight at Dublin airport without a passport or boarding pass.
The man has since appeared before the courts after reports that he "barged past Aer Lingus agents at the gate" before getting on an aircraft that was scheduled to fly to Birmingham.
The Daa, the operator of the airport, said he had been security screened but confirmed that he had still made it to the plane. He was removed by airport police after taking a seat on the aircraft.
"We never comment on security matters for obvious reasons. We note the speedy apprehension of the individual in this case by airport police, who was caught trespassing without a boarding card after being security screened, and his subsequent arrest by An Garda Síochána and successful prosecution before the courts. As with any such incident, an internal review is underway," a spokesperson said.
The man was fined €700 in total on two charges of trespassing and failure to produce a valid passport or similar document as a non-national in the State at the Criminal Courts of Justice, according to the Irish Independent.
"The individual in question barged past Aer Lingus boarding agents at the gate and crew at the door of the aircraft and took a seat on board,” Aer Lingus said, adding that its staff alerted airport police who "promptly" dealt with the matter.
In 1985, two youngsters from Dublin made headlines around the world when they stowed away aboard a flight from Heathrow to New York in the hopes of meeting star Mr T, who played BA Baracus in the cult television show.
Keith Byrne and Noel Murray from Darndale, aged just 13 and 10, managed to get a ferry to the UK before making their way to London and tailing a stranger onto an Air India flight bound for New York City and convincing airline personnel that their parents had boarded ahead of them. Their ruse was only foiled at JFK airport in New York after disembarking from the flight.
Dublin Airport just this week announced that it would follow a 15-point plan aimed at improving standards for passengers over the coming months.
This time last year, the Daa came under fire after long delays in security lines blotted its reputation, with furious passengers complaining about missing flights, while airline baggage piling up also became a visible embarrassment to the industry.
The Daa said its 15-point plan "will see a whole range of improvements made in the terminals and to passenger services at Dublin Airport, including quicker security times, faster free Wi-Fi, additional seating, including the addition of designated family seating areas, and a mix of new and improved food and beverage options throughout both terminals".
The entity, which was formerly known as Dublin Airport Authority, added that it is "aiming to get 90% of passengers safely through security in less than 20 minutes this summer, building on the stable performance experienced so far this year, with 92% of passengers processed in under 20 minutes".
A full refurbishment of Fast Track is already underway in both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, it said.
Some 400 extra seats are being added for the summer, while two new dedicated family seating zones will also open in Terminal 1 in time for Easter, the Daa added.