Security Fast Track suspended at the International Airport

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motorguy
motorguy Posts: 22,473 Forumite
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in N. Ireland
The International Airport have suspended the pre-booking of Security Fast Track between now and the end of September which was previously done via their website.

Also the fast path ticket machine has been switched off at the airport.

I would strongly advise people travelling through the airport over the summer months to allow for a significant amount of time to get through security. Last Monday @ 06:00 it was spiralled right back and out well past the boarding pass swipe units and thats despite significant extra staff they've brought in to help cope....
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  • ballyblack
    ballyblack Posts: 5,065 Forumite
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    thank you for posting, its appreciated
  • guiriman
    guiriman Posts: 525 Forumite
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    Thanks, flying tomorrow so looks like an earlier alarm now
  • guiriman
    guiriman Posts: 525 Forumite
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    Anyone know the status in the City Airport? Last time I was through (18th June) they had one lane open as a new '4-at-a-time' installation, one closed for conversion and two operational. Should be much quicker once they're all upgraded, no more having everyone stuck behind one person who's not prepared
  • dsab
    dsab Posts: 328 Forumite
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    At what time does the madness usually start in the morning? We have a flight next week at about 6am. Usually I would try to be there for just before 4, and have bags dropped at around 4 to give us 2 hours to get from Bag Drop to the Gate. Does that sound sufficient?
  • guiriman
    guiriman Posts: 525 Forumite
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    Tomorrow there's six flights before 7am, if that's the case you should be fine if bags are dropped by 4
  • guiriman
    guiriman Posts: 525 Forumite
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    Experience this morning:

    6:55 Joined the queue to scan boarding pass
    7:00 Scanned boarding pass
    7:04 Through the double doors into main security hall
    7:20 Loaded tray at security
    7:22 Collected tray at other side of security

    So not too bad. Top tips for getting through faster:

    - Take the stairs not the escalator up to security (got ahead of about 15 people)
    - Have your boarding pass in hand to scan and go straight through (maybe 3 people)
    - When you get close to the security scanners you will be directed left or right. Going right there are four lanes but people tend to join the first queue, look beyond them at the other lines and politely move past them to join a shorter one if you can
  • motorguy
    motorguy Posts: 22,473 Forumite
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    edited 10 July 2018 at 11:44AM
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    guiriman wrote: »
    Experience this morning:

    6:55 Joined the queue to scan boarding pass
    7:00 Scanned boarding pass
    7:04 Through the double doors into main security hall
    7:20 Loaded tray at security
    7:22 Collected tray at other side of security

    So not too bad. Top tips for getting through faster:

    - Take the stairs not the escalator up to security (got ahead of about 15 people)
    - Have your boarding pass in hand to scan and go straight through (maybe 3 people)
    - When you get close to the security scanners you will be directed left or right. Going right there are four lanes but people tend to join the first queue, look beyond them at the other lines and politely move past them to join a shorter one if you can

    Thats pretty decent - 30 mins end to end is good. The extra staff they have on seems to have helped.

    I'm there every monday morning for a domestic flight to Manchester @ 07:10. Last monday the queues were out of the main hall, past the boarding pass swipe machines and spiralled back several rows @06:00, this Monday the hall was full but not out of the hall.

    I guess there were more people / flights out on the first monday out after the school finished at the end of the month.

    In fairness they've extra staff on and it does move faster than it might previously have done but it can still be a bit of a shock when you see the crowds / watch the time ticking away...

    TBH i'd say at worst 30 - 40 minutes should get people through but its well worth allowing that bit of extra time.

    I've Fast Track security by default as an EasyJet plus member so fortunately i'm just a spectator to the backlogs.
  • motorguy
    motorguy Posts: 22,473 Forumite
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    guiriman wrote: »

    Top tips for getting through faster:

    - Take the stairs not the escalator up to security (got ahead of about 15 people)
    - Have your boarding pass in hand to scan and go straight through (maybe 3 people)
    - When you get close to the security scanners you will be directed left or right. Going right there are four lanes but people tend to join the first queue, look beyond them at the other lines and politely move past them to join a shorter one if you can

    Also, and this may seem glaringly obvious but i watch so many people fall foul of this:
    • Make sure you've ALL liquids out of your hand luggage, in their little plastic bag and in a tray
    • You can take bottles of size up to 100ml but they must all fit in to the one little bag
    • If in doubt, separate it out as a liquid and put it in the little bag - lip balms, vaseline, etc.
    • Electronic devices in a separate tray - phones, tablets, laptops, etc.
    • Significant electrical cables confuse it, so chargers, etc out too if theres multiples of them and they're bundled up.
    • Those little battery pack chargers too. Out and in a tray.
    • Belts off, jackets off, change out of pockets, watch off and in the trays.
    • Dont be afraid to use multiple trays - typically i use 3 or 4 by the time i separate everything out
    • Be civil to the security people - they're only doing their job and they have the power to inflict an awful lot of delay on you if they see fit ;)

    All of these things WILL set off a trigger and if your luggage is diverted for a manual search it will add significant extra time.

    It is STUNNING the amount of people who seem to ignore all the above and requests from staff to do so then get really arsey when their luggage is pulled.

    PARKING - book your parking early. The car parks all fill up so you could get to a point whereby McCauslands, etc, cant take you.
  • motorguy
    motorguy Posts: 22,473 Forumite
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    dsab wrote: »
    At what time does the madness usually start in the morning? We have a flight next week at about 6am. Usually I would try to be there for just before 4, and have bags dropped at around 4 to give us 2 hours to get from Bag Drop to the Gate. Does that sound sufficient?

    I'd say you should be fine - more than fine probably, but i wouldnt leave it any later.
  • ballyblack
    ballyblack Posts: 5,065 Forumite
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    Update this afternoon Tuesday 10th. No queing at all, very fast
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