Can you imagine an airport terminal designed to look like an ocean liner? Here at the Old Central Terminal Building in Dublin Airport, that’s exactly what architect Desmond FitzGerald envisioned. This elegant curved structure, with its tiered floors, opened in 1940. The Old Central Terminal Building was built to handle a mere 100,000 passengers a year. It’s a testament to a bygone era of air travel. The building earned numerous architectural awards for its unique design.
The Old Central Terminal Building in Dublin Airport wasn’t always bustling with millions of passengers. On its opening day, a chilly Friday morning in January 1940, only one flight departed. An Aer Lingus Lockheed 14 embarked on a journey to Liverpool. During World War II, activity at the Old Central Terminal Building was minimal. Aer Lingus maintained a limited twice-weekly service to Liverpool. It wasn’t until after the war that air travel began to flourish.
By 1947, the Old Central Terminal Building in Dublin Airport saw flights venturing further into Europe. KLM, a Dutch airline, initiated the first European service to Dublin. Concrete runways were laid in 1948. By 1950, the airport had served a total of 920,000 passengers. This marked a significant increase from its humble beginnings. The old terminal, designed for a fraction of that traffic, began to feel the strain. It eventually became clear a new terminal was necessary to accommodate the growing passenger numbers.
Despite its age, the Old Central Terminal Building is still partially used for daily operations. It’s also a listed building. Many original internal design features remain. They serve as a reminder of the early days of aviation. The building itself is a tribute to Desmond FitzGerald’s innovative design. It evokes a sense of nostalgia. One can almost picture travelers embarking on grand adventures from this elegant, ocean-liner-inspired terminal.