Gatwick Airport has opened a new security area at its South Terminal with state-of-the-art facilities that should process passengers in under five minutes.
South Terminal has 19 new security lanes designed to allow almost 5,000 people an hour to pass through to departures, with 15 standard lanes, two dedicated lanes for families with young children and passengers with reduced mobility, and two lanes for premium travellers.
Transport minister Theresa Villiers opened the £45 million security zone this morning. The latest scanning technology and automated processes should speed up progess through security by 25%.
Gatwick chief executive Stewart Wingate said: “We have improved every aspect of security – from the preparation area through to the moment passengers hit the lounge – and are confident the changes will make a huge difference to all those travelling through the airport.”
He added: “The opening of the new security area is just part of a £1.2 billion investment in Gatwick Airport.”
Villiers said: “For many people, going through airport security can be their least favourite part of flying. The government is committed to reforming the way these necessary checks are regulated, enabling airports to come up with more passenger-friendly processes while maintaining the same high levels of security.
“The team at Gatwick have clearly put a great deal of thought into how best to combine new technology, information and increased space to improve the passenger experience.”
Passengers at South Terminal will also benefit from security access gates which allow them to swipe their boarding card or smartphone boarding card display.