Southend-2
Join Date: Aug 2014
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Join Date: Apr 2016
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A nice positive bit of PR, but let's hope they get on top of the security bottleneck issue quickly.
https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/176...t-ever-summer/
If you're really bored, spot the missing destination.
https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/176...t-ever-summer/
If you're really bored, spot the missing destination.
EDIT: In light of information received that the maximum queuing time at Security this morning was 11 minutes I've deleted my post as it seems the information I based it on (45 minute queues) was not correct.
Last edited by Expressflight; 30th Apr 2019 at 13:41. Reason: as above
Join Date: Apr 2008
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Passenger traffic has grown too quickly for infrastructure and facilities in place, this is now becoming clear and the airport is struggling to clear through security 500ish travellers per hour, that’s roughly x 3 A320/737. As mentioned previous, the arrival of RYR has had a huge impact and just maybe Stobart’s eyes were too big for their bellies and unless a quick fix is put in place (at a substantial cost no doubt), the reputation that SEN has proudly built up will diminish rapidly!
More social media reports of terrible early morning queues and missed flights this morning due to the security fiasco at SEN. Stobart have really dropped the ball on this - Edit - Fiasco might be too harsh a word - but it is now taking 45 mins to get through security which I think is catching a lot of passengers out after having a number of years of relatively quick and easy flow.
Join Date: Jun 2009
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Security queues
There is no excuse whatever for SEN management presiding over this shameful performance. I was assured a week ago that the immediate problems had been dealt with and normal service had been resumed, but that some longer term fixes were needed to make it sustainable in the longer term. Fair enough - if it had happened, which it obviously hasn't. Yes, some people did miss their flights this morning - one IBZ passenger was sent to STN she says. I know the Head of Security left recently so maybe things haven't been going well for a time but they just seem to have got worse.
I tried the lounge again after noticing it had expanded into the old bar of yesteryear. My advice - don't! Still as awful as the last time I visited.
Join Date: May 2014
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A nice positive bit of PR, but let's hope they get on top of the security bottleneck issue quickly.
https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/176...t-ever-summer/
If you're really bored, spot the missing destination.
https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/176...t-ever-summer/
If you're really bored, spot the missing destination.
Not bored but the missing destination is Carlisle. There is, however, a very big advert for it on the wall at the departures end of the terminal so who knows?
Re the extensions to the terminal, the area between the control tower and the terminal was levelled some months ago but nothing seems to have happened at that end since. At the other end, departures, a lot of electric cable work has been done and the closure of the paved way to the terminal resulted. This Only opened again a few days before the arrival of Ryanair.
Expressflight..... any idea what's happening? I have great respect for your contributions and would be interested to hear your thoughts on the matter.
Passenger traffic has grown too quickly for infrastructure and facilities in place, this is now becoming clear and the airport is struggling to clear through security 500ish travellers per hour, that’s roughly x 3 A320/737. As mentioned previous, the arrival of RYR has had a huge impact and just maybe Stobart’s eyes were too big for their bellies and unless a quick fix is put in place (at a substantial cost no doubt), the reputation that SEN has proudly built up will diminish rapidly!
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Should be quite easy to work out.
1/ Lack of staff
2/ Staff training
2/ Lack of lanes
3/ Faulty equipment closing a lane
4/ Inefficient outdate equipment
5/ Combination of the above.
Take your pick
11 minutes in a queue will feel like 30 minutes if the queue moves slowly.
So how many security lanes does Southend have?
Completely irrelevant but Luton now has 16 meaning an average of just over 1 million passengers per lane although for most of the time many are closed and only open at peak times so 2 lanes would cover SEN easy.
Expressflight..... any idea what's happening? I have great respect for your contributions and would be interested to hear your thoughts on the matter.
1/ Lack of staff
2/ Staff training
2/ Lack of lanes
3/ Faulty equipment closing a lane
4/ Inefficient outdate equipment
5/ Combination of the above.
Take your pick
11 minutes in a queue will feel like 30 minutes if the queue moves slowly.
So how many security lanes does Southend have?
Completely irrelevant but Luton now has 16 meaning an average of just over 1 million passengers per lane although for most of the time many are closed and only open at peak times so 2 lanes would cover SEN easy.
Re the extensions to the terminal, the area between the control tower and the terminal was levelled some months ago but nothing seems to have happened at that end since. At the other end, departures, a lot of electric cable work has been done and the closure of the paved way to the terminal resulted. This Only opened again a few days before the arrival of Ryanair.
Expressflight..... any idea what's happening? I have great respect for your contributions and would be interested to hear your thoughts on the matter.
Expressflight..... any idea what's happening? I have great respect for your contributions and would be interested to hear your thoughts on the matter.
Err, if the queue takes 11 minutes to get through Security, then it takes 11 minutes and there's no risk of you missing your flight, no matter how fast or slow it feels like.
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I remember a few years ago that getting through security in Bristol was dreadfully slow and the security staff were surly and very officious. Complaints wre made to the airport management and the situation had improved greatly by my next departure. The answer apparently was better staff training; as simple as that. Maybe the same applies at SEN?
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I remember a few years ago that getting through security in Bristol was dreadfully slow and the security staff were surly and very officious. Complaints wre made to the airport management and the situation had improved greatly by my next departure. The answer apparently was better staff training; as simple as that. Maybe the same applies at SEN?
Join Date: May 2014
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I think SEN Observer was asking me about the terminal extensions, not the Security queue situation so that's what I replied to.
Err, if the queue takes 11 minutes to get through Security, then it takes 11 minutes and there's no risk of you missing your flight, no matter how fast or slow it feels like.
Err, if the queue takes 11 minutes to get through Security, then it takes 11 minutes and there's no risk of you missing your flight, no matter how fast or slow it feels like.
Join Date: Jan 2014
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My last flight in Early April was LUX-LCY-LUX. At both ends I encountered what I consider as petty security checks by surly staff. If they hate their jobs then leave, or are they specially trained to anger and stress passengers before their flight. In Southends case, it sounds like they need to select staff and train them better.
It's known as commerce! Take care DT.
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I used SEN within the past week for an afternoon departure .hardly any pax in the security hall (I'm guessing 50) but took 18 minutes to get through due to over-sensitive security screening. I travel extensively on an almost weekly basis .Never before have I had to repack my liquids bag from my zip up see through 1 litre travel approved bag to a zip lock bag. When I asked why I was told all liquids must be in an airtight bag (why? - to stop the machine smelling the explosives???) . Then shoes off and back through the machine after I was told to keep them on .This the same pair of shoes that happily go through Gatwick and untold other airport scanners without a murmur .Then my bag got pulled for inspection. Why? Apparently a laptop charger and USB cables are cause for concern .Whilst waiving those items aside they did a precautionary check on my sealed liquids bag.
I tried the lounge again after noticing it had expanded into the old bar of yesteryear. My advice - don't! Still as awful as the last time I visited.
I tried the lounge again after noticing it had expanded into the old bar of yesteryear. My advice - don't! Still as awful as the last time I visited.
Last time I was at the security clearance area at SEN a passenger in front of me in the queue was talking to a couple in front of him and he said he actually works at Stansted on the security clearance and he said SEN is used as a training location for new security clearance personnel before they are despatched elsewhere. Of course I have nothing to support his comments other than I overheard him.saying this.
Does anyone on this chat forum have any insight into whether or this is a true comment?
I'm also a regular traveller and I share identical experiences. I use a Gate8 cabin approved bag which includes it's own regulation approved liquid clear sealed bag - only airport in the world where I'm asked to empty it and place in an airports own bag, repeatedly occurs only at SEN.
I wear regular smart laced shoes, again never been a problem at any airport body arch scanners, except at SEN, I'm constantly requested to remove and scan my shoes - no metal plates in them btw, just regular Clarks black shoes I wear in the office.
I do think this might all be part of their training environment if that's in fact part of the SEN security clearance role.
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Last time I was at the security clearance area at SEN a passenger in front of me in the queue was talking to a couple in front of him and he said he actually works at Stansted on the security clearance and he said SEN is used as a training location for new security clearance personnel before they are despatched elsewhere. Of course I have nothing to support his comments other than I overheard him.saying this.
Does anyone on this chat forum have any insight into whether or this is a true comment?
I'm also a regular traveller and I share identical experiences. I use a Gate8 cabin approved bag which includes it's own regulation approved liquid clear sealed bag - only airport in the world where I'm asked to empty it and place in an airports own bag, repeatedly occurs only at SEN.
I wear regular smart laced shoes, again never been a problem at any airport body arch scanners, except at SEN, I'm constantly requested to remove and scan my shoes - no metal plates in them btw, just regular Clarks black shoes I wear in the office.
I do think this might all be part of their training environment if that's in fact part of the SEN security clearance role.
Does anyone on this chat forum have any insight into whether or this is a true comment?
I'm also a regular traveller and I share identical experiences. I use a Gate8 cabin approved bag which includes it's own regulation approved liquid clear sealed bag - only airport in the world where I'm asked to empty it and place in an airports own bag, repeatedly occurs only at SEN.
I wear regular smart laced shoes, again never been a problem at any airport body arch scanners, except at SEN, I'm constantly requested to remove and scan my shoes - no metal plates in them btw, just regular Clarks black shoes I wear in the office.
I do think this might all be part of their training environment if that's in fact part of the SEN security clearance role.
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Funny thing is, if I think back to that Good Friday long security clearance queues, I recall a lot of people asked to remove shoes after walking through the body scan archway.
I rather security be tight and flights protected from terrorism but at the same time I do tend to find SEN are definitely more fussy or the machines too sensitive. I can get through LHW T5 or City security fairly fast, and never had anything like the frequency of secondary checks that SEN seem to ping at high levels of reoccurences. Does seem very strange.
I rather security be tight and flights protected from terrorism but at the same time I do tend to find SEN are definitely more fussy or the machines too sensitive. I can get through LHW T5 or City security fairly fast, and never had anything like the frequency of secondary checks that SEN seem to ping at high levels of reoccurences. Does seem very strange.
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Although the increase in pax is surely much greater than it looks, the old BE DUB flight was quite often fairly lightly loaded on the 06:30 run in my experience. On a few occasions more people took the MAN flight, I know because DUB often boarded first even though it was a few mins later. The GLA Route also had weak loads and it was a lot later. I’d suggest the first wave average from the E195s was about 160 pax, FR will surely be knocking up more like 450 within a much more concentrated timeframe.
Join Date: Jun 2009
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My last flight in Early April was LUX-LCY-LUX. At both ends I encountered what I consider as petty security checks by surly staff. If they hate their jobs then leave, or are they specially trained to anger and stress passengers before their flight. In Southends case, it sounds like they need to select staff and train them better.
