Manchester Airport launching pre-booked slots for security

Passengers travelling from Manchester Airport will be the first in the UK to have the opportunity to pre-book 15 minute timeslots for passing through security, in a trial of the process by Manchester Airports Group (MAG).

By booking their free slot, passengers will benefit from access to a dedicated lane straight to the security checkpoint and will be able to reach the departure lounge quicker. This approach will also allow the airport to manage the volume of passengers coming through security more efficiently and help keep queues shorter.  The availability of slots is limited and will be operated on a first come first served basis, through online booking. Passengers are encouraged to make a booking around two hours before their flight departure time and asked to arrive within the chosen slot. If passengers arrive outside the allocated time, they will not be able to access the dedicated line and will be redirected to the security queue, which may be longer than usual given social distancing measures that the airport will put in place.

The trial is part of a series of measures being introduced at the airport to ensure passengers feel safer and more confident about air travel as routes reopen following the coronavirus lockdown. Last month, MAG became because the first airport operator to request passengers use face coverings while at the airport, and frontline MAG colleagues are also using PPE when interacting with customers.

Manchester Airport will be the first in the UK to allow travellers to pre-book a time for passing through security, and if successful, will be rolled out at MAG’s other airports, London Stansted and East Midlands airports.

The booking system was developed by MAGO: MAG’s in-house digital business, aimed at providing industry leading online technology for airports.

Brad Miller, Chief Operating Officer at Manchester Airport, said:

“Safety and security will always be the first priority and, at the same time, Covid-19 will undoubtedly reshape the airport experience. We are exploring every innovation and technology that can help us to adapt to the new world, protect public health and restore confidence in air travel.

“This new measure will allow us to manage our security process more efficiently in these challenging times, providing a better and more comfortable experience for passengers.

“It is the latest in a series of measures introduced by MAG to make travel safer during the pandemic, which includes asking passengers and colleagues to wear face coverings and piloting temperature screening technologies.”

The pre-booked security slots are available from this week and can be booked through a dedicated portal on the airport website.