Reuters - BAA to cut airport security queues
Mar 27, 2007, 8:21 am
#1
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Reuters - BAA to cut airport security queues
MADRID (Reuters) - Airport operator BAA plans to spend 40 million pounds and hire hundreds of new staff to speed people through security in less than five minutes, it said on Tuesday.
BAA, owned by Spain's Ferrovial, came under heavy criticism last year over the way it tightened airport security checks after it was alerted by British police to an alleged plot to blow planes up over the Atlantic.
Hundreds of holidaymakers missed their flights because of the long queues and many complained about new rules restricting what they could take in their hand luggage.
BAA, which owns Heathrow and Gatwick airports, said its new investments would cut security queues to less than five minutes 95 percent of the time.
The company will recruit an extra 1,400 security guards and open 22 new security lanes across the airports, it said in a statement.
BAA is also planning to invest billions of pounds to improve its airports in time for the 2012 London Olympics, it said, without giving a specific number
BAA, owned by Spain's Ferrovial, came under heavy criticism last year over the way it tightened airport security checks after it was alerted by British police to an alleged plot to blow planes up over the Atlantic.
Hundreds of holidaymakers missed their flights because of the long queues and many complained about new rules restricting what they could take in their hand luggage.
BAA, which owns Heathrow and Gatwick airports, said its new investments would cut security queues to less than five minutes 95 percent of the time.
The company will recruit an extra 1,400 security guards and open 22 new security lanes across the airports, it said in a statement.
BAA is also planning to invest billions of pounds to improve its airports in time for the 2012 London Olympics, it said, without giving a specific number
Mar 27, 2007, 8:24 am
#3
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BAA, which owns Heathrow and Gatwick airports, said its new investments would cut security queues to less than five minutes 95 percent of the time.
The company will recruit an extra 1,400 security guards and open 22 new security lanes across the airports, it said in a statement.
The company will recruit an extra 1,400 security guards and open 22 new security lanes across the airports, it said in a statement.
Mar 27, 2007, 8:30 am
#4
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Have to say ... was at Stansted at 6.30pm on Friday (my first trip to STN in about 6 months) and I was shocked at the large number of new security machines that are now operation. There was no queue at all and we found ourselves with rather too much time on our hands in the departure lounge - hence a £38 bill from Caviar House 45 minutes later!
Mar 27, 2007, 8:31 am
#5
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Mar 27, 2007, 8:46 am
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MADRID (Reuters) - Airport operator BAA plans to spend 40 million pounds and hire hundreds of new staff to speed people through security in less than five minutes, it said on Tuesday.
BAA, which owns Heathrow and Gatwick airports, said its new investments would cut security queues to less than five minutes 95 percent of the time.
The company will recruit an extra 1,400 security guards and open 22 new security lanes across the airports, it said in a statement.
BAA is also planning to invest billions of pounds to improve its airports in time for the 2012 London Olympics, it said, without giving a specific number
BAA, which owns Heathrow and Gatwick airports, said its new investments would cut security queues to less than five minutes 95 percent of the time.
The company will recruit an extra 1,400 security guards and open 22 new security lanes across the airports, it said in a statement.
BAA is also planning to invest billions of pounds to improve its airports in time for the 2012 London Olympics, it said, without giving a specific number
Mar 27, 2007, 9:33 am
#9
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Mar 27, 2007, 9:55 am
#10
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In a little-known piece of consumerism BAA is actually fined by the DfT for having queueing times that exceed a specified amount. Recently came to light when it was found that BAA were fiddling figures by sampling queues at 2.00 am and similar.
Of course, the fines go to Gordon Brown, not to any of us actually stuck in the queues.
Of course, the fines go to Gordon Brown, not to any of us actually stuck in the queues.
Mar 27, 2007, 10:00 am
#11
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Have to say ... was at Stansted at 6.30pm on Friday (my first trip to STN in about 6 months) and I was shocked at the large number of new security machines that are now operation. There was no queue at all and we found ourselves with rather too much time on our hands in the departure lounge - hence a £38 bill from Caviar House 45 minutes later!
Mar 27, 2007, 10:36 am
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Mar 27, 2007, 10:37 am
#13
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17:00 tonight - Zone R queue out ofthe entrance door to check in and starting to snake towards the main check in area. Why? Only 1 line in operation despite the evening peak happening 5 days out of 7 every week. 
After 10 mins waiting some of us got hauled out by a supervisor and taken to the staff line.
That then started a row between the idiot toiletry people and the supervisor about whether we could use the staff line! In his defence, he told them - nicely - to shut up. ^
This money is 8 months late being promised, and it is pathetic that it has taken fines and the threat of more to make BAA take action. The monopoly needs breaking up now to knock them out of their complacency. Take LGW, give it to someone competent and give us some competition.
After 10 mins waiting some of us got hauled out by a supervisor and taken to the staff line.That then started a row between the idiot toiletry people and the supervisor about whether we could use the staff line! In his defence, he told them - nicely - to shut up. ^
This money is 8 months late being promised, and it is pathetic that it has taken fines and the threat of more to make BAA take action. The monopoly needs breaking up now to knock them out of their complacency. Take LGW, give it to someone competent and give us some competition.
Mar 27, 2007, 11:26 am
#14
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