Can wait times at airports be reduced?

The fact that there are long wait times at airports means that for any flight whether it be a one-hour domestic flight or a longer international flight, customers are expected to be at the airport for a minimum of 2 hours before the actual journey begins. Is this a logical course of events given that all that is covered during this 2-hour period is predominantly administrative?

To make matters worse, check-in desks close one hour before a plane takes off so even if you arrived one hour before, you would most probably miss your flight. So how can this be changed? And are steps being taken to achieve this?

Efforts to Improve Wait Times

The truth is that many attempts are being made to reduce wait times at airports. Staff involvement and speed through airport have increased through the use of face recognition equipment to check through people and passports at departures as well as arrivals. However, this has not reduced the requirement for a 2 hour wait times at airports. In addition, it has not reduced the need for a 3 hour wait for long haul international flights. One could argue that it should reduce at the very least the time needed for long haul international flights given that the time to check passports would be the same for any flight.

Airports have however also come up with other ways to reduce wait times at airports. The growth of online check-in means that people only have to drop their bags off at the airport desk before going through security which reduced time at the check-in desk. It also appears that since Covid, airports have become more paperless and in most cases you only need to show your passport at the check-in desk in order to be checked in once online check in has been completed.

However, given the fact that bag drop off still takes time, as well as the fact that not everyone is always able to check-in online, one could argue that the minimum 2 hour wait times at airports have to remain. In other aspects airports are trying to improve the experience for passengers. At Heathrow airport at London in the United Kingdom for example, by paying £12.50 you can book in advance or at the very least on the day, a slot for fast tracking through security. However, even this slot has to be booked at least 2 hours before your flight time. Nevertheless, it still a quicker way to get through security.

London City Airport

It is also apparent that new technology is also being developed and introduced to cut wait times at airports. At London City Airport, what they describe as cutting-edge CT security scanners have reduced queue times by 50% on average since they were introduced in April 2023. These scanners enable travelers to pass through security without removing liquids or laptops from their hand luggage. In addition, passengers from London City Airport can also take up to 2 litre bottles through security and are therefore no longer restricted to the 100ml liquid bottles formerly required. The technology developed detects prohibited items with greater accuracy and also allows staff to work more efficiently.

It therefore does appear that the aviation industry is taking steps to reduce wait times at airports. Nevertheless, the minimum 2 hour wait time extending to 3 hours for long haul fights still remains. In addition, even certain facilities such as fast track security clearance at airports such as London Heathrow cost extra and still only take place 2 hours before flying meaning that time spent at the airport itself is not reduced. It does mean therefore that extra steps will be needed to reduce the time spent at airports. We have to wait to see how this progresses.