travelling-blogger

comments

Travellers who flout hand luggage liquid rules have been blamed for creating longer queues at one of the UK's busiest airports at the height of the summer travel season.

More than 4,100 passengers are breaching the restrictions every day as they pass through Manchester Airport – causing unnecessary delays as people try to get through security and board their flights.

The figure amounts to 10 per cent of the 40,000 pieces of hand luggage that are inspected by airport security officials on a daily basis.

Manchester Airport revealed the figures in response to public criticism over growing queues during what is expected to be its busiest summer since 2007.

Airport officials say the problem is due to a lack of passenger awareness, even though the rules have existed at airports around the world for years. 

Current rules require all liquids in containers over 100ml in size, including large bottles of water, lotions and perfume, to be stored in luggage in an aircraft's hold.

If large containers are found in a traveller's hand luggage they will likely be thrown in the bin.

In Manchester, travellers have been quick to lay blame or express their discontent over security and passport control queues this summer.

Forty-year-old passenger Darren Harris, of Stalybridge, told the Manchester Evening News he waited in line for more than an hour after flying in from Malaga last Friday: 'It went down the corridor and down to where the planes land. I was quite shocked. I have never seen it that bad before.'

Border Force said 13 flights arrived outside their scheduled times and they deployed additional staff, but they would not compromise security while the necessary checks took place. 

To reduce delays, the airport has invested £20million in security this year.

Tricia Williams, the airport's customer services director, told the Manchester Evening News: 'This summer we have increased security staff and during peak times all available staff and lanes are open for passengers to use and if needs be we deploy security staff to other terminals to help alleviate pinch points.'

The airport is urging passengers to arrive early and obey the hand luggage restrictions.