Airports With The Longest Security Lines Are Exposed

Long wait times, baggage issues, and flight cancellations were common at many UK airports early this year as a result of a mix of increased demand brought on by the lifting of COVID restrictions and staff shortages.

Queues at airports

More than 25% of passengers at Leeds Bradford Airport must wait more than an hour in security lines, making it the worst airport in the UK.

The West Yorkshire travel hub had the unwelcome distinction of having the greatest wait times in the country between February and August, with an average hold-up of 35 minutes.

It comes in first place on a list of 14 created by a consumer organization. Which?, after asking over 1,300 travelers who left from a UK airport within a six-month period how long they waited in line for security.

Average Wait Time

• 35 minutes - Leeds Bradford
• 30 minutes - Bristol
• 24 minutes - Birmingham
• 24 minutes - Manchester
• 20 minutes - Heathrow
• 19 minutes - Luton
• 18 minutes - Belfast International
• 18 minutes - Stansted
• 16 minutes - Edinburgh
• 16 minutes - Gatwick
• 15 minutes - Newcastle
• 13 minutes - Glasgow International
• 13 minutes - Belfast City
• 12 minutes - London City

Travelers at nine airports, including Bristol (17% of respondents), Birmingham (11%), and Manchester (8%), reported standing in security lines for more than an hour.

Long lines, baggage issues, and flight cancellations were common at many UK airports earlier this year as a result of a combination of increased demand following the lifting of COVID restrictions and staff shortages.

Electronic panels with real-time updates on anticipated wait times were erected at Leeds Bradford in August to assist reduce customer annoyance.

According to a spokeswoman, "earlier this year, we experienced times of significant queues due to the quick return of international travel after the easing of pandemic restrictions, like many airports around the UK.

"We worked arduously to address those immediate problems and were open about these challenges at the time. Since then, we have greatly decreased the amount of waiting in our terminal.

We are still dedicated to providing the finest travel experience at Leeds Bradford Airport and being a top airport in our area.

The Airport Operators Association, a business trade group, claimed that airports had made significant efforts to recover from "one of the most onerous travel regimes in Europe."

According to a spokeswoman, "the vast majority of passengers were allowed to enjoy the summer vacation with little interference."

Guy Hobbs, editor of the magazine Which? Travel advised travelers to avoid airports with the worst wait time records, even if that meant choosing one that was a little bit farther away.

Source: Sky News

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