Sir, – I understand Martin O’Connor’s frustration in arriving from the UK and having to go through passport control in Dublin Airport (May 24th). However, no matter where you come from, at least Dublin Airport treats everyone equally. When flying from Kerry to Dublin each passenger must clear passport control, and if you are a tourist with a non-EU passport, you of course have to wait the obligatory 40 minutes to an hour to get through. – Yours, etc,
MARK DUFFY,
Foxrock,
Dublin 18.
Sir, – Martin O’Connor argues that removing passport checks to visitors from the UK at Dublin Airport will reduce queues and show our commitment to the Common Travel Area. But surely if you wanted to reduce the queue the better solution would be to join the Schengen Zone, as the majority our air travel is to countries within that area.
Such a move would also show our commitment to the EU and European integration. – Yours, etc,
KEITH DUNNE,
Drumcondra,
Dublin 9.
Sir, – I’d like to add my voice to that of JH Martin (May 16th) regarding the woeful queues at Dublin Airport immigration. But what makes this baffling is that UK visitors have to go through this rigmarole, the same as visitors from anywhere else in the world, despite our much-vaunted and supposedly valued Common Travel Area. Yet when I travel back to the UK, the authorities there keep their side of the bargain. I never have to pass through immigration and am treated much as an internal UK traveller.
How can we mope and moan about Brexit barriers being introduced when we haven’t made an effort to take advantage of existing agreements to make life easier for trade and travel between Ireland and the UK? – Yours, etc,
DAVID CLARKE,
Edinburgh.
Sir, – Further to recent correspondence, on a recent trip to Spain it took us about 65 minutes to get through passport control at Barcelona Airport. On our return to Dublin Airport, it took about three minutes. – Yours, etc,
JOHN BROSNAN,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 14.