Emotional scenes at Dublin Airport as up to 50,000 passengers daily come home for Christmas

Dublin Airport braced for one of its busiest days of the year on Friday as thousands of Irish emotionally welcomed home their loved ones.

Up to 50,000 passengers will arrive at the airport every day in the run-up to Christmas as they jet home from all corners of the world to celebrate the big day. Five days before Christmas, Terminal 2 was akin to a scene from Love Actually as families stood waiting eagerly for their special someone to walk through the doors.

The hall was decked out with decorations as Christmas songs filled the space. Jacob Mumby is one of many Irish who made the long trip home from Australia to spend Christmas with his loved ones.

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(Image: Collins Photos)






(Image: Collins Photos)

He flew from Perth and had an emotional welcome from his girlfriend Sarah and her mother Nora May Caroll as they will celebrate the big day in Limerick. Eileen Holmes was one excited granny as she welcomed home her one-year-old baby granddaughter, Annie.

Her parents, Amy and Tom, were travelling home from Frankfurt to celebrate Christmas with their adored family in Northern Ireland. Daa spokesperson Graeme McQueen said the scenes at the airport’s arrivals halls this week "would give any romcom a run for their money in the emotion stakes".

(Image: Collins Photos)





(Image: Collins Photos)

He added: "We’re seeing grandparents meet grandkids for the first time, mums and dads reuniting with their kids who live far away overseas and everything else in between. The excitement levels are off the scale, and we particularly love the passengers who go all out to provide a special welcome for their loved ones with carefully made ‘welcome home’ banners and festive outfits.

"One of the most special homecomings this week was when a daughter walked through to meet her parents and after they’d hugged she unzipped her jacket to show a baby scan taped to her tummy to tell them they are soon-to-be grandparents! You wouldn’t get it anywhere else other than Dublin Airport at Christmas!"

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