(Lack of) priority security at HEL
 

I'm doing my twice-a-year LHR-HEL-LHR run and am at the end of it, about to board the AY flight to LHR in J. As I checked in, I noticed as an improvement that AY have opened a OW Emerald check-in desk, which I appreciated. However, what remains unchanged is the inconsistency of the priority security lane. My success rate with it being open at HEL is probably at around 10 per cent at the moment. Every time it has not been open, I have subsequently sent a short message to Finnair CR who have said that they would look into it.

I wondered if I am just horribly unlucky and appear at HEL every time it's closed, or whether it's actually the case that it's virtually never open?

"Priority Security is open Monday to Friday 06:00 - 09:00 and 14:30 - 17:30, Saturdays 06:00 - 09:00 and Sundays 14:30 - 17:30."

says finnair.com.

HEL T2 main security has been arranged clever way. Only two queues to the regular security with up to 8 screening lines. There are long tables before the actual security lines, where people can spread their stuff on the trays and get belts and jackets off. You can hardly pick a bad line.

Moreover the screening line tables are looooong, so many people can place their items on them as well as pick them out. The process runs very smoothly - as long as there are not many Benidorm holidaymakers wondering what is it all about.

It has seldom taken from me more than 5 minutes the clear the regular screening and when there is rush hour, the priority line accepts also OW sapphires and emeralds.

A weak point is you never know when the screeners go on strike. It happens for various reasons every once in a while.

ojala's post explains very well why I've never seen the priority line open, then! While it's good the times are written down somewhere, I wonder why they're not stated at the entrance to the priority queue?

It didn't seem quite as optimal as that last night: after walking through endless tensabarriers, I got to the table with the trays, into one of which I put my laptop but then found that if I loaded two trays (for coat, belt, etc) and tried carrying the trays and my briefcase to the belt, my belongings would be all over the floor! Is there something I didn't figure out about the system or is everyone expected to carry the filled trays to the belt?

I often use the smaller security check near gate 29.

http://www.helsinki-vantaa.fi/more-i...ges/servicemap

There are usually only a very few people, and if you're flying out of Schengen area (like I usually am), it is right next to the passport control.

The priority security check is probably optimized by Finnair to match their non-transit passenger flows. Being Finland it's all about trying to be efficient and very little about status :)

I think they just assume you can stack the trays to carry them the short hop from the tables to the x-ray machine.

Personally I think the security check is quite well implemented. You can't pick a bad queue, people have time to unload/load their belongings and faster people can pass the slower folks, and even if the queue looks long it moves very fast. At least it doesn't affect my blood pressure the same way some other airports do..

I do the same, never seen a real queue there.

HEL security is very efficient and I comp others that complaining about it makes little, if any, sense. Also, as mentioned the priority lane is open at those hours there might be some need for it...many times the normal lines/lanes are actually faster than the priority..which tells a lot about the whole process.

If someone thinks HEL security is bad his/her life must be very smooth..