Security, Immigration & Border Control

[IanFarquharson]

Sadly not still a lot lot lot more to do to restore passenger confidence, summer S25 has been far from a success

I think BHX has done really well turn what was close to a disaster last Summer (which wasnt enirely their fault) into a much slicker operation this Summer especially with rising pax numbers.

 

[nwoody2001]

As far as I'm aware, average queueing time this summer has been around the 30 mins, with some days reaching close to the hour mark, most airports aim for 15 mins or less even during peak times

In peak summer time? Who are you kidding! Good luck with less than 15 minutes in any UK airport I've been to ...unless buying VIP/Fast Track of course!

I had to wait 20 minutes in Berlin last month and that was VIP!

 

[Ianbutty]

Gotta laugh. Arrived at MXP and the escalators are out of action!

 

[nwoody2001]

Considering Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester all do it with the same equipment and nothing different says enough, and I'm pretty sure other airports are the same

Do they? Manchester T1 certainly didn't with me and my friends last week! Nor would I have expected it. it took around 25 mins which for summer peak was totally reasonable for me. And for me to just go through Fast-track transit security in Heathrow T5 in May it took 20 minutes a few months back.

I think this is quite telling....

Queue times at airport security​

Airports	Security queue times (passenger estimate)
Birmingham (435)	28
London Heathrow Terminal 4 (202)	23
Manchester Terminal 1 (265)	23
Manchester Terminal 3 (178)	23
Belfast International (93)	22
London Luton (237)	22
Cardiff (76)	21
London Stansted (458)	21
Norwich (91)	20
Glasgow International (182)	19
Leeds Bradford (209)	19
Glasgow Prestwick (22)	21
London Heathrow Terminal 2 (368)	19
Manchester Terminal 2 (445)	19
Southampton (57)	19
Bristol (399)	18
East Midlands (183)	18
Exeter (65)	18
London City (128)	18
London Heathrow Terminal 3 (488)	18
Belfast City (George Best) (66)	17
London Heathrow Terminal 5 (718)	17
Aberdeen (77)	16
Edinburgh (314)	16
Liverpool (John Lennon) (135)	16
London Gatwick North Terminal (618)	16
London Gatwick South Terminal (596)	16
Newcastle (216)	15
Bournemouth (81)	13
Inverness (42)	13

Airport fast track: is it worth paying to speed up security and passport control? - Which?

We analysed security and passport queue times from almost 8,000 trips to find where and when you should pay for a short-cut

www.which.co.uk

Which data collected in April 2025, all but 3 major UK airports dont have average wait times below 15 minutes ...and thats not even in the summer peak! Yes BHX is the worst in this list with works still ongoing in April time, but now BHX is one of the first of the airports (alongside EDI and LCY?) to remove the 100ml limit on liquids, I'm assuming average time will be significantly lower.

Be interesting to see this list posted again next year to see how the times have changed! Alas, im just glad than ive not seen any new articles this years of security delays at BHX. Im sure further improvements can be made, but its a massive improvement from Summer 2024!

 

[Deleted member 8277]

Figures from Heathrow for the month of July stated 95% of pax waited less than 5 minutes, Gatwick was very similar and Manchester was 99% of all pax through in 15 mins or less.

You may have a different view than me, but as it currently stands this year hasn't been postive for queue times, construction or not, all the equipment is in place and nothing is changing for the passneegrs baring the walking route at the exit. We've also seen an additional two lanes open by Jet2 taking the total too 9.

I see the queues regularly and say as I see it. Not like a few posters who like to polish a turd!!!!

 

[KARFA]

It’s interesting some folks actually believe the official figures from the airports themselves, and clearly don’t have the experience to know how they are massaged.