Sir, - A new queueing phenomenon seems to have hit Dublin and it doesn't involve waiting for taxis, buses or trains. The victim is now the air traveller.
Having landed in Dublin airport from Majorca just before midnight last Saturday night, I looked forward to a speedy trip home. However, on arrival in the baggage hall I discovered that one of the two car park fee-paying machines was out of order and joined a long queue. That was to be one of the more enjoyable moments of the night. Having then collected my luggage I ventured outside to catch a feeder bus to the long-term car park, a vehicle billed by Aer Rianta as "The Flyer". I joined a shivering queue of at least a couple of hundred people, and had to wait 25 minutes in the freezing cold for said "Flyer" to arrive. When it did, there was an ugly scrum to get aboard and, inevitably, many people were left to queue a while longer. "Where are the other buses?" said the bemused driver. "There are supposed to be six in operation." Where indeed? Perhaps Aer Rianta could answer this question. For once, it would have been quicker to get a taxi, and on the night passengers were probably more likely to see a flying saucer than a feeder bus. And so the sheen was taken off a quiet, relaxing week away.
It is not often that I would agree with Ryanair's Michael O'Leary, but perhaps the time has come to offer the consumer some choice and provide Aer Rianta with some competition. - Yours, etc., Ciaran Hancock,
Moyville,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 16.