As if on queue, Luton airport infuriates
David Wighton: The Times Business Editor’s commentary
Defenders of market capitalism have enough on their plate already coping with the backlash against bankers. But the bankers look like saints compared with the racketeers who run Luton airport.
In a shameless scam that would make even Ryanair blush, they have just started offering a £3 voucher that allows passengers to jump security queues.
Preferential treatment is not new at airports. Premium passengers have been able to take advantage of fast-track lines to take them through check-in and immigration. Some smaller airports have started to allow economy passengers to buy access to these lanes, with Liverpool and Bristol charging £3 and £5 respectively.
But Luton is offering a pass that takes passengers to the front of an ordinary queue. Its “priority lane” is effectively a permit to barge in ahead of those who are patiently waiting their turn. Luton says that it is merely providing “a choice for those who want to go straight to the search point”. But this choice imposes a direct cost on those behind. If everyone paid the £3, no one would be better off, except, of course, the airport’s Spanish-owned operators, who have a clear incentive to cut back on security staff to make the queues longer.
The audacity is breathtaking. It makes you want to join a demo.