Flights in and out of Dublin Airport faced delays on Saturday after Terminal 2 was temporarily closed due to a security alert.

Authorities ordered the evacuation around 11:30 a.m. when concerns were raised about a suspicious piece of luggage. Gardaí, supported by the Defence Forces’ Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit, swiftly moved in to assess the situation.

Following examinations both at the airport and at an alternative secure location, officials confirmed the luggage posed no threat. Normal activity resumed later in the day, though minor schedule disruptions continued as operations settled back into place.

Airport operator daa reassured travelers that the decision to clear the terminal was purely precautionary, stressing that “passenger and staff safety remains the top priority.” CEO Kenny Jacobs also thanked passengers for their patience and praised staff for their handling of the incident.

Gardaí confirmed that no arrests were made and investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident are still underway.

Separately, daa noted that a Europe-wide software glitch also caused minor operational hiccups at both Dublin and Cork airports on the same day. The technical problem, however, was unrelated to the security alert.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why was Dublin Airport’s Terminal 2 evacuated?
Terminal 2 was cleared as a precaution after Gardaí raised concerns about a suspicious piece of luggage.

Q2: Was the suspicious item at Dublin Airport dangerous?
No. The Irish Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team examined the luggage and confirmed it was safe.

Q3: How long was Terminal 2 closed?
The evacuation lasted several hours on Saturday before operations resumed, though minor delays continued afterward.

Q4: Were flights at Dublin Airport cancelled?
Most flights continued, but some experienced delays due to the temporary closure.

Q5: Did the evacuation relate to the Europe-wide software issue?
No. The technical glitch that affected Dublin and Cork airports on the same day was unrelated to the security alert.

Q6: Were there any arrests made after the Dublin Airport scare?
No arrests were made. Gardaí confirmed that enquiries into the incident are ongoing.

Q7: Is Dublin Airport safe now?
Yes. Terminal 2 has reopened, normal operations have resumed, and the luggage in question was declared harmless.

What happened: Europe-wide airport software disruption explained

A major passenger-handling software outage on 19–20 September 2025 disrupted automated check-in, boarding and baggage-drop systems at several European airports, including Brussels, London Heathrow, Berlin, Dublin and Cork. With automation offline, many airports reverted to manual processing — causing longer queues, flight delays and some cancellations while teams worked to restore normal service.

Timeline of the incident and immediate effects

Reports indicate the problem began late on 19 September and persisted into 20 September as the affected service provider investigated a cyber-related disruption. By morning, airports across multiple countries were reporting degraded or unavailable automated services. Staff deployed contingency procedures, and airlines advised passengers to check flight status before travelling to the airport.

Which systems and providers were impacted

The disruption targeted passenger-handling systems used widely across airlines and airports — the automated check-in, boarding pass issuance and self-service baggage-drop environment. Because many operators rely on common third-party platforms, an outage at the provider level translated into simultaneous operational problems at multiple hubs.

Operational impact on airports, airlines and passengers

Automated kiosks and baggage drops became unusable at affected locations, forcing manual identity checks and paper boarding passes. Processing each passenger took substantially longer, which created bottlenecks at security and departure gates. While some major hubs reported dozens of delayed or cancelled flights, smaller airports experienced more limited, though still disruptive, knock-on effects. Passengers were repeatedly urged to arrive earlier than usual and to monitor airline notices.

Official responses and ongoing investigations

Airports and airlines moved quickly to fallback procedures and published travel advisories. The vendor acknowledged a service disruption and engaged technical teams to restore functionality, while national cyber agencies and aviation authorities opened inquiries. Early reporting focused on containment and recovery; attribution and full root-cause analysis remained the subject of ongoing investigation by service provider and government bodies.

Practical guidance for affected travellers

If you were travelling during the outage: check your airline’s official flight status page or app before leaving home; allow extra time at the airport for manual check-in and baggage handling; keep digital or printed travel documents readily available; and be prepared for identity checks and paper boarding passes if kiosks are unavailable.

Why a single provider outage had wide repercussions

The incident highlights the systemic risk created by concentrated reliance on a small number of third-party providers. Passenger-handling systems are tightly integrated with airline departure sequencing and ground operations; when automation fails, the slower manual processes can’t match throughput, producing widespread delays. The episode underlines gaps in supplier redundancy, failover testing and offline workflow readiness.

Short-term and medium-term consequences for the industry

In the short term, airports and airlines will continue operating with increased manual capacity until automated services are verified as stable. Medium-term outcomes are likely to include detailed post-incident reviews, stronger contingency planning, and possibly contractual or technical requirements for suppliers to provide hardened failover modes. Regulators may request incident reports and consider guidance to reduce future supply-chain concentration risks.

Recommendations for airports, airlines and suppliers

Airports and airlines should practise and resource manual check-in and boarding procedures, publish clear passenger guidance during outages, and coordinate with national cyber authorities. Suppliers must provide transparent timelines, improve segmentation and rollback procedures, and offer well-tested offline modes. Regulators should encourage information sharing and independent audits where critical infrastructure is affected.

Final takeaway

The Europe-wide disruption was a practical reminder that modern aviation depends heavily on a few centralised systems. While airports and airlines kept planes moving through manual workarounds, the event will likely drive sustained industry focus on redundancy, supplier resilience and cross-border coordination to reduce the impact of similar incidents in the future.