Originally Posted by
horatio_b
I arrived at 0530 for the 0630 Swiss flight to ZRH yesterday.
Security staff were only just arriving at that time, and the security area wasn't
opened until 0545 by which time people were queuing down the stairs.
This unfortunate approach, which you find at airports elsewhere as well, is often brought about by staff being paid night-time overnight rates for work before 0600. So the beancounters nix as much premium rate expenditure as they can. These pay arrangements were often put in place in the days when there were no scheduled flights so early - London City used to be like this, it wasn't that many years ago when there were not really any departures before 0730, and virtually no overnighting aircraft.
It is exacerbated by management never being around at 0545 to see the issue. I suggest you take photographs of it and send them to Richard Gooding, the Chef Exec at the airport.