Bristol Airport security queue time second worst in the UK

BRISTOL Airport had the second longest airport security queue delays in the UK for a six-month period earlier this year, according to a survey.

Only Leeds Bradford fared worse than Lulsgate in the survey for consumer group Which?.

It indicated that passengers at Bristol waited an estimated average of 30 minutes between February and August.

At the Yorkshire airport the figure was 35 minutes.

Researchers asked nearly 1,300 people who travelled from a UK airport over that period how long they had queued at security.

More than a quarter (27%) of Leeds Bradford users said they waited for more than an hour to pass through security.

In August, the airport installed electronic screens providing passengers with live updates on estimated wait times.

Travellers reported security queues in excess of an hour at nine airports, including Bristol (17% of respondents), Birmingham (11%) and Manchester (8%).

Seven per cent of all those surveyed said they missed a flight because they were stuck in a long queue.

There was major disruption at airports across the UK earlier this year due to staffing shortages and a spike in demand for travel after coronavirus restrictions were scrapped. This led to flight cancellations, problems with baggage handling and long security queues.

A spokesman for Leeds Bradford said: “Earlier this year, like many airports across the UK, we had periods of long queueing due to the rapid resumption of international travel after the lifting of pandemic restrictions.

“We were transparent about these difficulties at the time and worked hard to address those short-term issues. We have since significantly reduced queueing in our terminal.”

London City was the best performing airport in the research, with an average estimated security queue time of just 12 minutes. Half of the airport’s users reported a wait time of between five and 10 minutes.

Guy Hobbs, editor of magazine Which? Travel, said: “Travellers this year have borne the brunt of unprecedented chaos at UK airports, with huge numbers enduring long queues and some even missing a flight due to excessive wait times to clear security.

“Your choice of airport shouldn’t make or break your holiday – but for too many travellers this year, that has been the case.

“We’d recommend choosing an airport with a better record on queues and treatment of passengers, even if that involves travelling slightly further from home.”