Dublin Airport’s Terminal 2 remains empty – SEE VIDEO

CATHY HAYES,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Thursday, December 16, 2010, 4:15 AM

Updated Thursday, December 16, 2010, 4:33 AM

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Dublin Airport’s Terminal 2 cost $805 million to build. It has 40 shops, a new boarding gate, 25 departure gates and 19 aircraft parking stands. According to an Irish Times reports the Terminal, T2, is empty.

Following the gala launch of the new building (see video) one month ago the building still remains empty.

Their report stated that on Monday there were as many staff as passengers in the terminal. Only five check-in desks out of 56 were open. The main restaurant in the terminal, The Oak Tree Café, remains closed. The open plan seating area in the departures is empty.

In the WHSmith bookshop the staff sit looking outwards waiting for customers. They told the Irish Independent “The airport is not fully operational yet…Bored? Not really."

Travel expert, Eoghan Corry, told Pat Kenny on RTE that the shop owners are furious about poor business and the speed at which the flights are being moved to the new terminal.

The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) deny that there have been complaints. They said “We have not received a single significant complaint from a retailer in T2," a spokesman said.

"The DAA detailed the planned transfer of airline operations in mid-November and this remains the position," he said.

They refused to disclose the numbers of flight that were operating daily. Eithad and Aer Lingus are both running a number of flights each day before they transfer their entire operations over to T2.

Nster.com

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bogsidebunny | Dec 17, 2010, 02:06 AM EST

Dublin Airport T2 is yet another case where Irish desire for glitz wins out over common sense. Look at the $-million Euro "Dublin Spike" and the "Revolver" (HUGE ferris wheel) in the docklands. Alternatively, hospitals and schools are broke, roads are a disaster (potholes and many still ice covered 3-weeks after the last snow) and the "public transport" system LUAS, Bus Eirann, Ironrod Eirann services are late or non-existant.

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jamieLM | Dec 16, 2010, 07:12 PM EST

Monsoonman - That's not the only small airport that got undeserved money. Kerry and Kennedy made sure taxpayer money was diverted to their own little private airport instead of going to Logan where it was supposed to go. When asked about it, they both got very angry, denied it (they lied), and refused to answer any questions about it. I saw the tape and the evidence on TV. Disgusting.

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Monsoonman | Dec 16, 2010, 12:00 PM EST

We had something similar here in the US, a tiny podunk airport not near any big population center was upgraded with millions upon millions of tax dollars...Why? Because it was in one of the most corrupt lawmakers district, john murtha(now taking a dirt nap). Ironically the airports name was john murtha international. It had one scheduled commercial flight per day and the aircraft was virtually empty. I opined about this disparity in tax dollars vs. actual usefulness on an aviators site and was attacked by his taxpayer paid pitbulls.

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Towngate | Dec 16, 2010, 07:18 AM EST

The Advertisement is so poignant - almost pathetically Heroic - considering the shameful state of the country. The ironic tagline 'helping you on your way' is also tragic. I do hope things pick up for it before they are forced to remove all the signage except the word 'Terminal' and commission the Ad Agency to shoot another commercial advertising the Grazing Rights!

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