Stansted Airport has asked airlines to extend check-in opening times and encouraged passengers to turn up three hours before short-haul flights in a bid to cut queues at security.
Up to 300 people missed flights from the airport on Monday, prompting fury from Ryanair. It accused Stansted of a “descent into chaos” and complained of delays to more than 100 flights.
Ryanair director of operations David O’Brien described the situation as intolerable and said: “BAA is incapable of providing the requisite security service at Stansted.”
The airline complained that only nine of 14 security channels were open on Monday morning. A spokesman said: “It’s half-term, but there is no excuse. There are queues from security to the entrance of the terminal and back to the shops.”
A spokesman for Stansted conceded: “It has been very busy. The start of half-term caused a sharp rise in passengers and resulted in delays to people getting through security at peak times.”
However, he blamed passengers for not sticking to hand luggage restrictions and airlines for not doing enough to enforce them. “Some passengers believe everything is back to normal. They are turning up with more than one bag or with oversize bags, and there is confusion about liquids. We have to send them back,” he said.
“Two hours check-in is not enough with the current situation. Three hours would help. We’ve asked airlines to extend check-in times. They have not chosen to respond positively.”
Air Transport Users Council chief executive Simon Evans said: “It’s the passenger’s responsibility to get through security in time. Passengers do miss flights, but it should not happen regularly.”
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