I'm a big supporter of Liverpool, or have been, but this ludicrous £2 security charge scam at Liverpool is an exploitation of people's fear and an exercise in exploitative profiteering of the very worse kind. It's exploitation of people's nervousness and irritability when it comes to air travel and I'm only glad that so few suckers seem to be using it.
I've travelled through the airport 5 times this week, sadly.
I've noticed each time that the normal security queue has one or maybe two security operatives manning it. Hence the queue has taken about 30 - 60 minutes on each occasion to navigate. There's nowhere to sit for the elderly, tired, hungover and infirm in the queue - they're forced to pay the £2 effectively if they don't want to die of, ahem, some sort of standing up disease.
And of course, there is nothing for the kids to do so they run up and down like screaming banshees terrorising the other poor lost souls in the queue. Just what's required....
The £2 express lane however is well staffed yet underused - the security operatives most of the time sit around laughing at everyone in the other queue it would seem.
And that's not even to mention the horrendous partitioning wall between the two lanes which quite frankly is ugly and oppressive.
But because John Aldridge and other ex-Liverpool FC stars say the security lane is a good idea, we should all shut up about it and fork out for receiving a service the airport are obliged to provide anyway - passenger security without fuss.
Are we really living in a day and age whereby decent service and passenger care are optional, and require further payment?
I also hear extremely reliably that there is still, allegedly, a missing baggage/theft from baggage issue occurring at EGGP, despite several employees resigning pre-inquiry a few months ago (if I remember correctly they were found to be innocent...for the record m'lord) and the denials of the airport management.
I hear from the same source (within the law enforcement community) that the airside baggage areas are not monitored by CCTV at all - at least that's the excuse given. Ludicrous really when some bags can sit there in trolleys for a good while.....
Also, one has to wonder if the security operatives from the deathly-quiet express lane would be better employed keeping an eye on staff coming from airside areas with suspiciously bulging clothing?
And also it begs the question - if people are taking things out with such ease as is alleged - how easy would it be for a rogue member of staff to take something airside?
Above us there may be only sky, but after departing from Liverpool Airport, below you is an airport run by a devious company interested solely in money (like most others to be fair), with no regard to basic passenger comfort or security and no scruples about using the current sad security situation as a means to get money from people.
And a company who, when questioned, seem to resort to the fact that the only place one could fly to from Liverpool once upon a time was Ronaldsway (pretty much) as their sole defence.
I feel so much better now.
Now, where's my next dose of Valium and copy of Imagine.