Originally Posted by
SecondDog
Owen, this is just complete ignorance I'm afraid. There are multiple factors at play and the airlines certainly are one because of their baggage model shift of late to avoid checked baggage (at least baggage checked in the hall as opposed to the front of the aircraft) I understand that the airport is getting flack for preparation but there are a lot of factors behind that too, not all of which are preventable regardless of how easily people like to deploy the 'shambles' and 'disgrace' monikers in short sighted social media posts.
There are also the passengers, some of whom need their heads examined. Either they arrive 4 hours early and jam the previous wave or they arrive with 45 minutes til departure screaming blue murder at the back of the priority search queue because 'this never happens at any other airport' demanding to be brought through as they have not left themselves enough time to present themselves at the gate prior to closure. Don't forget the jokers that like to meander their way along the snake and arrive at the search amazed to hear they have to take their coats off and computers out of bags and liquids in a certain way.
and for all the bumpf about the queues on Monday, sources tell me the queue time from boarding cards to 'Sip and Stone' was under 40 minutes. Add on 20 for the stairs and boarding cards and an hour (if you are hand baggage only) all told is not that bad for a peak season. Ask anyone at Stansted if they don't have relatively similar periods.
The airport is telling people to come early and they are telling people to be prepared for the search process. The passengers have to play their part..
as said before, well said