New Way for Airports to Make Money ?

[Deni G]

from news.com.au
http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/l...-1225949735168


AN airport in the UK has been accused of deliberately encouraging security lines to grow long to persuade passengers to pay a fee for faster priority lines.

A security guard blew the whistle on London’s Luton Airport claiming the airport began offering a way for passengers to skip the queues by paying £3 ($4.78), financial news website This is Money reports.

Bristol and Aberdeen airports charge £5 ($8) and Leeds Bradford, East Midlands, Liverpool John Lennon and Newcastle airports have £3 ($4.78) charges.

The guard said staff are instructed to make the lines long in order to force passengers to pay for the faster line.

The strict checks - involving the removal of shoes and belts, body scans and pat-down searches – is forcing passengers to arrive at airports up to three hours before departure to make sure they catch their flights.


Read more: http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/l...#ixzz14l7mnDuC

The claim came after passengers were advised to allow more time - up to three hours - for security checks following a cargo plane terror plot originating from Yemen.

The airport denied the guard’s claims.

Simon Evans, chief executive of The Air Transport Users Council, said the claim is troubling and that “going through security is not a service, not a perk, it is something that people have to do.”


Read more: http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/l...#ixzz14l7sV6GE

[Ash W]

No surprise really. UK airports are shockers. I hate how BAA airports have a policy of not annoucing boarding gates until about 1 hour before departure (despite knowing full well which gate the A/C will leave from) thus keeping people in the shopping area, where they have very few seats so as to keep people in the shops. Or if your a lounge member having to walk past ALL the shops just to get to the lounges, LHR T5 being a classic case in point.

At least here in Aus once we walk through the duty free shops we can find out the gate and then go sit down.

[Robert S]

Originally Posted by Ash W

At lease here in Aus once we walk through the duty free shops we can find out the gate and then go sit down.

I fear that it is only a matter of time before MAp takes the lead from BAA, the way Syd T1 seems to be going.