The arrival logistics: A mammoth logistical operation is under way to meet, process and disperse the 10,000 athletes and coaches who begin arriving at Dublin, Belfast and Shannon airports this morning.
The 28-strong El Salvador team will be the first to arrive when they touch down at Dublin Airport on a 6.05 a.m. Boston flight. They will be followed by the Nepalese delegation which will arrive after 11 a.m. today.
The groups will be greeted by a welcome delegation which includes their delegate liaison officer. This volunteer and translator will be with them continuously during their stay.
Athletes will not have to go through the baggage reclaim process, so once their accreditation is checked, the teams will be directed to a bus for their journey to their host town.
The delegation from Gabon, in west Africa will be the first team to arrive at Shannon airport. They touch down at 11.45 a.m. and are bound for Mitchelstown in Cork. The Cayman Islands will be the first team to arrive in Belfast when the delegation, bound for Strabane, arrives tomorrow.
Teams from 158 countries will arrive in Ireland in the coming days, with the largest number coming on Monday. Andorra and Tunisia will not arrive until Friday as they are not taking part in the host town programme.
Taiwan will be last to arrive, due to the SARS restrictions imposed on the delegates. The team is spending 10 days in quarantine in Thailand and will arrive in Dublin sometime after the opening ceremony.
About 7,500 visitors are coming through Dublin Airport, while 500 are coming to Shannon and 2,000 are arriving in Belfast, including Team USA.
These figures do not include thousands of family members, supporters and media, who are expected to arrive in the coming days. "Summer time is always a busy time for us anyway, but this will be quite busy," said Ms Siobhán Moore, an Aer Rianta spokeswoman.
"The important thing is to make the experience as special as possible for everyone."
Aer Lingus, the official carrier for the World Games, will carry 8,500 of the 10,000 athletes, from countries as far flung as Azerbaijan and Ecuador. Other teams due on Aer Lingus flights in Dublin today include The Gambia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Kenya, Turkmenistan and Peru.
A team of eight Aer Lingus staff has been working on Special Olympics travel arrangements for two years. Due to its financial problems, Aer Lingus withdrew from all sponsorship in 2001, with the sole exception of the Special Olympics World Summer Games.
Organisers believe the Special Olympics event is going to be the biggest transport operation undertaken yet in this country.
When competition time begins, the 10,000 athletes and coaches will be transported to and from more than 60 sports and accommodation venues in the greater Dublin area every day.
Between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. every morning, 310 dedicated buses will move through the city, carrying athletes and coaches to 22 sports venues. Special Olympics officials, spectators and the media will also be on the move every morning. In addition, a motor pool of 230 cars will carry officials, guests and VIPs to sports and entertainment venues.
Mr Joe Collins, Special Olympics transport information manager, encouraged everyone to avoid routes around the sports venues and use public transport as much as possible.
A pre-paid Special Olympian "short hop" travel pass (€55 for adults and €38 for children) can be used on all Dublin Bus, Irish Rail and Bus Éireann services (except tours) within the Dublin area from June 18th-30th.
A "long hop" pass (€98 for adults, €68 for children) will cover journeys to areas such as Drogheda, Navan and Kildare town.
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