Belfast International Airport: Additional security lanes to open this summer in bid to reduce queues

The move to increase the number of search lanes from six to eight follows complaints from passengers about lengthy queues to get through security.

The number of search lanes will be reduced to five over the next couple of weeks while the expansion work is carried out – something which could lead to delays.

A spokesperson for Belfast International Airport said the two new security lanes are expected to open this summer, possibly in May.

“The security search area at Belfast International Airport is expanding from six lanes to eight to improve the overall passenger experience. To facilitate these works the number of security lanes will reduce from six to five lanes from 26th February 2019 until mid-March. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and continue to remind customers to arrive two hours before departure,” she said.

Sam O’Dwyer, strategic director of aviation services with Wilson James – the company in charge of providing security services at the airport – added: “We are pleased to support Belfast International Airport in its aim of improving the passenger journey through its security screening area.

“Our chief priority remains the recruitment and training of new staff members to meet the requirements of two additional security lanes, due for completion in summer 2019.”

Officials at Belfast International Airport have previously apologised to disgruntled passengers – many of whom have taken to social media to voice their dissatisfaction – for long delays at security and stressed that they were making “strenuous efforts to cope as efficiently as possible with passenger volumes.”