Dublin airport- Help!!
 

In July my husband and I will be arriving at Dublin airport and from there we have to catch a flight to Aberdeen Scotland. We arrive in Dublin from U.S. at 8 a.m. and the flight we are thinking of taking to Aberdeen is with Ryan Air and leaves Dublin at 9:30 a.m. Ryan Air's website says you should check in 2 hours prior to departure. Ryan Air says that the checkin window closes at 1/2 hour prior to flight (which would be 9 a.m.) Since we won't arrive until 8 a.m. we won't be able to get there the full two hours early. How big is Dublin airport? Do you think we will have a proble making the flight that leaves at 9:30 a.m.? Please help me decide!

Thinking of taking or booked? If you are booked I imagine Ryan Air will know that you are arriving and in transit. However, if you are planning to purchase tickets on arrival... hmmm... I don't have a clue. I'd call and ask Ryan. Best of luck.

Dublin airport is quite compact, just one terminal with three gates area, A, B and C. Even from the furthest gate, it will only take about 5 min to the baggage reclaim, and immigration line is quite short. So if your inbound flight is on time, you will be out of the customs with your lugagge by about 8.30 am. You have to check in your lugagge again at Ryanair desk, which is upstairs from the arrivals. And yes, you have to complete your check-in by 9 am. If your flight is delayed and you miss the 9 am deadline, you are out of luck. Ryanair will NOT know you are coming on another flight, and even if they did they won't wait for you or delay the flight. Chances are your seats will be given to stand-by passengers if the flight is full. If you miss the flight to Aberdeen, they will try to book you on their next flight (next day), but they can demand full payment again. If you are genuinely delayed, try asking for help and they may exceptionally rebook you on another flight free, but they don't have to do this. It's in their small print. I'm afraid this is the risk you have to take when using point-to-point budget airlines.

RyanAir has several flights that depart around that same time - last year I got one Dublin-London (Luton). They say check in 2-hours prior to departure but in my experience check-ins open 2-hours before a flight's scheduled departure. That means they want you (and everyone else) there when they open. <BR><BR>You say you're 'thinking of taking' RyanAir's 9:30 AM flight to Aberdeen. Does that mean you haven't booked it yet (what you need help deciding)? <BR><BR>You're cutting it pretty close considering that you have to wait for your baggage to arrive at the carousel and clear passport control &amp; customs, all in a 60-minute 'window'. I would apply Murphy's 1st Law: If anything can possibly go wrong, it will; and try for a later flight (but that;s just me). <BR>P.S.<BR>If you are at the check-in line for the Aberdeen flight at 9:00, they will usually 'cut you some slack.' <BR><BR>

As I said, your timing is very tight. Sadly, as you probably know, there's only one flight daily to Aberdeen (only Ryanair fly there). So you may need to stay overnight or take a flight to Glasgow Prestwick or Edinburgh (several flights) and make connections to Aberdeen.

I would have to agree with Alec - the airport is really compact and you should have no problems making the connection. I am always surprised at how quickly it takes to get through immigration and customs at Dublin they just seem to make it happen very fast. Hope you have a wonderful trip.

We flew Ryanair two years ago and plan to again in May. It was a great value, but time schedules were not adhered to that well. I wouldn't chance being late.