Frequently Asked Questions
Airport Security Frequently Asked Questions
- Security in T1 opens at 03:00hrs and remains open until the last departing flight.
- Security in T2 opens at 03.30hrs and remains open until the last departing flight.
- We advise passengers to arrive at their terminal 2 hours before departure time for short-haul flights, and 3 hours before long-haul flights.
- If you are checking bags or travelling in a group you should allow more time. Always consult your airline for check-in in desk and bag drop opening hours.
- Security Queue Times can be viewed by clicking here.
- You can also view check-in times by airline and by terminal below.
VIEW CHECK-IN TIMES T1
The security queue times displayed are not fully real-time, they represent the median queue time that it took passengers to complete the Security screening process in the previous 15 minutes. This means individual passengers can experience queue times that can be either longer or shorter than the time displayed. However, showing this median time can give an indication of the queue time that passengers can expect.
In Terminal 1, the queue time shown covers the Security queue within the departures floor. However, if the queue goes outside of the Terminal, this queue time is not captured.
- Check which terminal you're departing from.
- We advise passengers to arrive at their terminal 2 hours before their scheduled departure time for short-haul flights, and 3 hours before long-haul flights.
- If you are checking bags or travelling in a group you should allow more time. Always consult your airline for check-in in desk and bag drop opening hours.
- Security in T1 is now open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- Security in T2 opens at 04.00, so people flying from T2 should factor this in.
If checking a bag, verify your airline’s check-in & bag drop desk opening times, and if possible, allow up to one hour of additional time to check-in luggage. You can also view check-in times by airline and by Terminal below.
VIEW CHECK-IN TIMES T1
- Ideally only 1 piece of hand baggage per person. Check with your airline for their cabin hand baggage allowance.
- Separate out liquids, gels, and pastes from your hand baggage into one single, clear re-sealable one-litre plastic bag, with each container no bigger than 100ml.
- No sharp objects and have all electronic devices out and in the tray, along with coins and jewellery. If you need to remove jewellery, please put it in your bag.
- Place laptops and electronics in a separate tray.
- Any oversized garments, which may conceal additional items or the outline of your person, will have to be removed for Security screening. Please remove the top, be it an over-sized hoodie, jumper, jacket or sweater and place in the tray for screening.
- Any shoes, runners or boots that are at ankle height or higher, such as runner boots or sock boots, will have to be removed, to place in the tray for Security screening.
- More information including a video on how to prepare for security is available here.
- Water and other drinks, soups, syrups
- Pastes, including toothpaste, butter, margarines, jams. Anything over 100ml is not allowed through screening.
- Creams, lotions and oils, including lip balm and moisturiser
- Perfumes
- Make-up, including lipsticks and mascaras
- Sprays, including sun-tan lotion
- Gels, including hair and shower gels
- Contents of pressurised containers, including: shaving foam, other foams and deodorants
- Liquid-solid mixtures
- Any other item of a similar consistency
Yes, passengers are allowed to bring essential medication and dietary requirements in liquid form of + 100ml. A doctor's letter or prescription may be required to certify it is an essential item. Additional screening may be required, so please present the items to the Security Officer and ask their guidance.
100 ml is 3.4 in fluid ounces.
- Yes, baby food or food for people on special diets is allowed, as are medicines.
- Passengers are allowed to bring these items through the screening points in the quantities needed during their trip and should ask for the red tray where these items can be placed separately from hand baggage and other liquids, gels or pastes at Security screening.
- Passengers may be required to demonstrate that what they are carrying is for genuine purposes, such as a medical/doctor/physician’s note.
If the first flight begins at an airport in the EU and items have been purchased beyond the passenger security points, these liquids will be placed in a tamper-evident bag and therefore will conform to EU regulations. Therefore passengers can take these liquids on-board their connecting flight, as long as the items are still packed in tamper-evident bags.
If the first flight originates in a country outside the EU the items will not conform to the new regulations, as they will not have been placed in tamper-evident bags. Transferring passengers will then be subject to these new EU security regulations when they transfer through an EU airport.
