The head of one of the UK’s biggest airports believes airlines and immigration controls are more to blame for long queues than security measures.
Speaking on the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Manchester Airport Group chief executive Geoff Muirhead said: “There is nothing more frustrating than long queues at check-in and empty check-in desks. Airports have to ensure security is right, but check-in is the airlines’ responsibility.”
The Civil Aviation Authority and Air Transport Users’ Council have confirmed passengers spend longer at check-in than in queues at security.
Muirhead said online check-in should cut queues, but often it doesn’t. “It’s no good if airline baggage drops recreate the check-in queues,” he said.
Delays on arrival in the UK have also increased since the Government toughened immigration checks this summer.
“Immigration is increasingly a problem, as well as baggage delivery on arrival – and that is the airlines’ responsibility again,” said Muirhead.