Swiss International Airlines - Updated Security Screening in Geneva (GVA)

I flew Sunday from Geneva to Munich and was startled to see the security screening was now right at the top of the steps (making the lounges on the airside of security now). I had flown the previous week and the security was where it always was.

Needless to say, there were two entrance lines, one on the left with 2 machines running and one one on the right (moving much faster) with 4 machines running.

Additionally, there was a fast-track line - but ONLY for Business Class / First Class. I asked at check-in and again at security if I could use the fast-track line as a Senator and they said, "No, only first or business. It seems strange to us too but this is how the Geneva Airport has implemented the fast track line."

So for those flying out of GVA - there is now a fast track line if you are in business/first (but not *A Gold, or SkyTeam Elite). And the lounges are now airside instead of landside so you can time your departure to the gates better.

Beofotch

So, I'm trying to imagine..before hand the 2 security controls for A and C gates were adjacent to the stairs and escalator leading down to the B gates, now they have moved them to where the passport control used to be (and where they I guess used to check boarding passes), so everything including the Duty Free store, Swatch, Hermes etc. as well as the lounges is now inside security?

Well this is definitely good news. Once you were in the lounges you never know how long you had to leave as you still had security to clear.
It is announced (http://www.gvaplus.ch/ouvertures.asp#/factsheet.asp?sheetid=27), very discretely, on the GVA website.

This is good news! I guess you can use fast track as a HON though.
Also in ZRH you can use the fast track even as an FTL.. They have no clue about shiny cards there. Next time I flash a golden credit card :p.

Did you ask at the Check-in for a priority access?

At MAN, I got a green sticker on my boarding pass at CI (SEN flying Eco). I can't believe that LX has not the influence for letting it's premium customers through the premium-security at one of it's home airports...

and this is what it looked liked yesterday at GVA at 07:13

Being a poor Senator there was no fast track

Total time wasted ... 28 minutes

Congratulations GVA!

http://www.andresimha.com/moi/GVA%20security%20011009%200714.jpg

PS. Sorry for the shaky picture ;)

Hi rorschi,

I can't believe that LX has not the influence for letting it's premium customers through the premium-security at one of it's home airports...

GVA is not really one of LX's home airports any more ... they have dwindled down the number of flights so much that Easyjet is the leading airline in GVA, and even they don't get everything they want.

(Edit: From the 2008 annual report: The major airlines in terms of market share were easyJet (33.6%), Swiss (12.3%), Air France (8.1%), British Airways (6.5%) and Lufthansa (6.3%))

Cheers,

GenevaFlyer

I went through this new security control yesterday, and it was quite stressful because I thought I was going to miss the flight. For once, I was on the easyJet non-stop to EDI, and with the huge walk to D85 afterwards, I was sure I was going to be offloaded. But all was ok.

The line spilled out onto the upstairs concourse. It did move forward reasonably quickly, though, so it seemed fairly efficient.

Interesting link ... (http://www.halcrow.com/html/our_projects/projects/geneva_airport.htm)

So I just heard from one of my friends who fly out of Geneva, and she said the new security system is extremely poorly designed and has so much backlog that now you have to budget almost 25 mins there to catch a plane! There is a line for C/F, though it's unclear if this is also for Elite members (e.g. *G/*S etc.), even the agents there were unsure...there are no more rolling slides to slide your bucket tray along (e.g. where you put your laptop into) and when you exit you have to go through some small narrow corridor via the food court to get to the main area where you have Duty Free and lounges.. which is the only benefit of the new system, that you no longer have to keep worrying about how long the security line is when your meant to be relaxing at the lounge.

Whilst browsing this website (www.gvaplus.ch) I found (with difficulty) this article in french:

«One Stop Security»

L’AIG inaugure le 23 septembre son nouveau dispositif de contrôle de sûreté centralisé (CSC). Ce dispositif parachève la mue de l’aérogare. Il devrait également bouleverser en douceur le comportement des passagers.

L’objectif est simple : il s’agit de rassembler en un seul endroit tous les points d’inspection filtrage. Le dispositif est conçu pour que les temps d’attente n’excèdent jamais dix minutes.

L’introduction du centre de contrôle centralisé devrait modifier les habitudes des passagers: sitôt enregistrés, les passagers pourront passer le contrôle de sûreté. En toute sérénité, ils pourront ensuite faire du shopping jusqu’à ce qu’on leur annonce le début de l’embarquement.

La mise en place du CSC satisfait les exigences de la réglementation européenne en matière de sûreté. On parle là du concept de One stop security : tous les passagers ayant pris l’avion à Genève sont considérés comme « propres » en terme de sûreté, dans tous les aéroports européens dans lesquels ils atterrissent. S’ils doivent prendre une correspondance pour continuer leur voyage, ils ne devront donc plus faire l’objet de nouveaux contrôles.


The 2nd paragraph indicates that the new security screening is conceived so that the waiting time never exceeds 10 minutes (!)

The 4th paragraph indicates "all passengers flying from Geneva are considered "clean" in terms of security, in all European airports in which they land. If they have to take a correspondence to continue their trip, they will no longer need another security control"

Does this mean that you no longer need to re-do security in Zurich going to Terminal E (?) let alone in other European airports ??

Rather confusing to me ... anyone experienced this yet?

Does this mean that you no longer need to re-do security in Zurich going to Terminal E (?) let alone in other European airports ??In other European airports that support the one-stop-security setup (and few of them so far do), you'll no longer have to re-clear security.

In the case of ZRH, this will only become effective once the new, centralized security screening is in place.

Oli, can you tell us a bit more about this? When is this supposed to happen? Will the LX lounges ever be airside, meaning after security controls? That would be a real enhancement for once.

All the details on the Zurich 2011 project can be found here (http://www.flughafen-zuerich.ch/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-255/). Centralization of security control will happen by end of 2011, and yes, lounges (& shopping) will then be in the sterile zone.

Now that Switzerland is in Schengen, going to any EU destination you will no longer be required to clear security. However... flights to non-schengen are often located in another area and require that you go through security AGAIN...like FRA (which p.s. is a mess if your going schengen to non-schengen or vice versa, prepare for a long trek in the tunnels from the A to B concourse)

I still think that:

a) GVA should enable the fast-track for frequent users of the airport ...

b) that in their marketing sell they could avoid "selling" a one-stop-security for the EU when that is far from being the case (including in Switzerland).

I have written a 2nd letter to the Management (the first one in July has remained unanswered to date) and will post any positive results here.

Glad to say I have obtained some more information on the Fast Track at GVA, unfortunately not from the airport but rather through a very pleasant exchange with one of my favorite airlines :)

Here are the highlights:

- The fast track Channel is not officially launched yet but only as a test phase and signage needs to be improved.

- During a trial period of 1-2 months, the AIG authorities will monitor the flow of passengers in particular the ones needing to benefit of the new Fast Track Facilities in the future.

- As a soft launch, the AIG has decided that only First, Business and HON Circle passengers of SWISS as well as Smart Passengers of Baboo, could benefit from the Fast Track.

- The extended queuing time during peak hours is due to not all the x-ray counters (13 in total) being operational yet.

- It is anticipated that the Fast Track channel should be officially introduced by Dec 1st 2009

- At this stage there has been no decision as to the segmentation of passengers who will be entitled to benefit from the Fast Track facilities. It is anticipated the class of travel shown on the boarding pass (Business/First) might determine the right or not to use Fast Track, and not the tier-level.

My comments:
It is obvious that airline representatives in Geneva have only been partly involved in the project and that the AIG is clearly in the lead of the project and will take appropriate decisions in order to satisfy most of the airlines.

Hopefully at some point i will obtain a response from AIG and that might clear things up a little!

Meanwhile happy queuing and safe flights!

I had to go through the new security arrangements in GVA early on Wednesday morning and can say that it looked like GVA had taken lessons from LHR/T5. Big long lines snaking all the way back. The clever system with rollers that allowed you to arrange all your bits and pieces before getting to the security check itself has disappeared. Fast-track is so discrete it might as well not exist (it's at the far end of security, above where EasyJet checkin is (as though anyone flying EasyJet would have access anyway:D)). Finally the Fast-track line dragon was unable to understand a PYOBP. I've never had more than 5-10 minutes wait in GVA. It looks like you need nearer 30 minutes now.

Has anyone try to talk to Swiss / Star Alliance to find out if they are planning on changing the policy for senator to use the fasttrack lane ?

-xabra

Oct 19th, 07:10; 12 minutes wait only - Seems it is improving as there were at least 6 to 7 security gates open

Yes the airlines (not only LX) are pushing for improved fast track

Now that Switzerland is in Schengen, going to any EU destination you will no longer be required to clear security. However... flights to non-schengen are often located in another area and require that you go through security AGAIN...like FRA (which p.s. is a mess if your going schengen to non-schengen or vice versa, prepare for a long trek in the tunnels from the A to B concourse)

Sorry fellow Swisstraveller, you are completely wrong. Regardless where you go on a commercial airliner, you MUST go through a security screening. The EU has set clear standards and audits all airports within Europe regularly ( including the ZRH, BRN, BSL, LUG, GVA, ACH.

The only thing that has changed: you don't have to go through passport control for intra Schengen flights any longer. ( You still need your id for the BP check at the gate though )

This is not what the AIG (GVA airport) has published on their website (sorry in french)

Link (http://www.gvaplus.ch/ouvertures.asp#/factsheet.asp?sheetid=27)

Extract: "La mise en place du CSC satisfait les exigences de la réglementation européenne en matière de sûreté. On parle là du concept de One stop security : tous les passagers ayant pris l’avion à Genève sont considérés comme « propres » en terme de sûreté, dans tous les aéroports européens dans lesquels ils atterrissent. S’ils doivent prendre une correspondance pour continuer leur voyage, ils ne devront donc plus faire l’objet de nouveaux contrôles."

Personal comment: I doubt this will happen anywhere at all before 2012. Anyone familiar with the EU Regulation that AIG mentions?

Fendant,

Yes, you have to go through 1 security check. However, once this is done, and you connect in a decent airport, like AMS, for a Schengen flight, you will not go through security again.

For example, flying GVA-AMS-CPH, you stay in the Schengen area of AMS airport, and do not go through another security check.

Cheers,

GenevaFlyer

I had a very good conversation with an Executive of GVA Airport and must say that the attitude was extremely open and positive.

In essence:

- Initially the fast track, which in GVA is a service of the airport and not of the airlines, will remain for F and C passengers and is for the moment a "shortcut" to the regular queue without a dedicated screening process. You should see a change in the name of the priority queue as well.

The lengthy wait at security was essentially from Sept 23rd to Oct 9th during the move from the previous infrastructure to the new one as only 50% of the CSC was in fact implemented. The average wait observed as of that date was of 8 minutes using 75% of the total infrastructure.

They clearly realise that their "best" customers are not necessarily the ones with the most expensive tickets and are definitely open to finding ways to identify their most frequent passengers in the future.

Having used the airport Monday morning at 07:00 the security process took 12 minutes (with very pleasant staff) which I guess is better than many other airports ;)

They clearly realise that their "best" customers are not necessarily the ones with the most expensive tickets and are definitely open to finding ways to identify their most frequent passengers in the future.Do they talk to their colleagues in ZRH about this at all? We looked into this question when introducing "fast track" at ZRH a few years ago. I could facilitate contacts...

Having used the airport Monday morning at 07:00 the security process took 12 minutes (with very pleasant staff) which I guess is better than many other airports ;)

You are very tolerant. Sorry, but any airport that makes me wait in the security line for 12 minutes ends up on my black list. :mad:

And about GVA: it was probably already the airport with the worst security check (of the ones I have used regularly over the last 2 years or so) even before these changes. I have not been there during the last 6 months and I hope I can avoid them for a long time to come... :td: