Passengers travelling from Manchester Airport have been given the option to book 'FastTrack' passes for security - just weeks after they had been suspended. The airport suspended bookings for its express lanes through security in all three terminals back in May.
The service helps passengers bypass the huge queues that have plagued travellers over recent months. The passes stopped being offered on the airport website initially due to how busy operations were.
Earlier last month, outbound passengers were unable get a pass for security in any of the three terminals, online or offline. However, bookings made historically were honoured.
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Now, as of Monday (June 27) the airport website is offering passengers the chance to purchase the passes again, from £5 per person. The booking process for flights going out of Manchester and arriving at the airport is now available from all three terminals.
There is limited availability - but the passes are pitched as giving passengers the chance to get through security quicker and reach the departure lounge, open from 3am until 11pm. The Manchester Evening News understands that the airport has stopped various other services throughout the pandemic, including having limited terminals and car parks open when passenger numbers dropped during travel restrictions.
The news comes just days after travellers experienced more problems at the airport, with huge queues in Terminal 2 - which stretched along the walkway towards Terminal 1. Queues of up to two hours have been reported at security in recent weeks, particularly over the Jubilee Bank Holiday and half-term.
A Manchester Airport spokesman said: “We can confirm that our Fast Track security product is back on sale.
“Throughout the pandemic we have turned on and off a variety of our products and services, for a range of reasons including demand, resource, and operational requirement etc.”
Just last month, the airport issued a candid apology over its staffing crisis. Passengers are still being advised to arrive at the airport three hours before to ensure they can get through in time to make their flights.
Earlier this month, an airport spokesperson told the Manchester Evening News that just shy of 400 new members of staff had been hired - with a further 500 also going through checks at the time. They said: “Most passengers will get through security within 30 minutes, but on occasion security queue times will be higher than this, and so we are advising passengers to arrive at the airport three hours before their flight is due to depart.
"We have welcomed nearly 400 new starters into the operation so far this year, with a further 500 people going through security and background checks right now.”
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