I’ve been through BFS security several times recently with no issues or much waiting.
I agree that the drop off is pathetic though. I don’t pay money to drop people off at LHR or LGW. It’s rubbish and the fact that so many people can’t get their head around it causes delays getting out, arguments and more delays. This nonsense is the bastion of regional airports, not for those that claim to be major international operations.
Alas Dub for TATL remains a no-brainer. If you live in Belfast you can get a bus to the front door of T2. Be through check-in, security and even immigration within 30 mins. My average wait at immigration at LAX/MCO and JFK has been over an hour. You can also connect stateside without any more security checks. If we had a service to a proper US hub it would be more of a quandary but it doesn’t look like that’s happening anytime soon.