Manchester airport is trialling a new system of pre-booked security time slots, in a bid to manage passenger volumes and avoid queues in the light of Covid-19.
Customers can now book 15-minute time slots online, allowing them “access to a dedicated lane straight to the security checkpoint”.
The slots are free, and available on a first come first served basis at booking.manchesterairport.co.uk/security/dates.
Travellers arriving at security outside of their allotted time slot will be directed to the normal security lanes, which the airport says “may be longer than usual given social distancing measures that the airport will put in place”.
MAG says that Manchester is the first UK airport to offer such a scheme, and if successful the group will look to roll it out at London Stansted and East Midlands.
The move follows the unveiling of a series of measures at Manchester airport to ensure the health and safety of passengers and staff, including temperature screening trials and mandatory face masks for all customers.
The airport had originally also asked travellers to wear gloves in the terminal buildings, but this requirement has now been dropped.
Commenting on the news 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.”
