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A national survey has implied that Guernsey Airport could have had some of the longest security waiting times, compared to airports across the UK earlier this year.
The survey, done by Which?, took averages at all of the UK's airports and found that Belfast had an average of 22 minutes waiting time while passengers at Manchester waited just 16 minutes.
Yet earlier in the year, when queues to go through security at Guernsey Airport were reaching their height, with a number of complaints being made, members of the public suggested they were having to wait up to 30 minutes, or even longer.
Pictured: The Daily Mail reported the story, claiming Which? had found Belfast and Manchester airports had the longest security wait times of around 20 minutes each.
Guernsey businessman David Piesing, for example, suggested in an interview with Express in June that people were often taking 20 to 30 minutes, and sometimes up to 40.
When approached for statistics, Guernsey Airport said it did not record averages: "Guernsey Airport doesn’t record any data on average waiting times, either on passengers entering the queuing area prior to their boarding card being scanned, or having their boarding card being scanned and being security screened and processed," a spokesperson said.
Things have noticeably improved since earlier in the summer, however.
Pictured: A file image of the airport's new scanner.
This week, for example, the airport started to use a new full body scanner, the first piece of equipment of its kind to be installed in the Channel Islands. That scanner is part of a £1.5million programme to refresh all passenger and baggage security equipment at Guernsey Airport, which it is hoped will further speed up the processing of people going through security.
Head of Aviation Services for Guernsey Airport Ash Nicholas said most travellers would be familiar with the new scanner through using UK airports.
"We are very pleased to have this piece of equipment installed and operational at Guernsey Airport. This is the first phase of our programme of upgrades to the scanning equipment at the airport. This scanner will reduce the need to carry out whole body manual body searches that can slow down passenger flows at peak times.
"By having this equipment installed, Guernsey Airport is also meeting continually evolving aviation security regulations set by the UK Government and audited by the UK Civil Aviation Authority. We accept that queues have been excessive at peak times in order that we could maintain a compliant security screening process. Guernsey Airport is determined to improve the current situation at security, to increase passenger throughput and provide a positive customer experience.”
At the time, Guernsey Airport said the increased waiting times were down to stricter regulations that it had to follow, which demanded more careful searches and more stringent approaches to security.
Pictured top: Guernsey Airport.
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