A report from the Department of Transport has found that in 2024, 85% of passengers departing from the UK by air were happy with the security screening process.
The results, which drew on responses from over 15,000 passengers at seven airports, show that passengers were either ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with their security screening experience.
The survey was carried out by the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA’s) Departing Passenger Survey and involved passengers travelling through Birmingham Airport, Gatwick Airport, Heathrow Airport, London City, Luton Airport, Manchester Airport and Stansted Airport.
Nearly half of all those surveyed said they were ‘very satisfied.’ Overall, London City led with 97% of passengers describing their experience as ‘satisfactory’ or ‘very satisfactory’. Luton reported the lowest score, although still fared well with 69% of passengers reporting they were ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’.
Unsurprisingly, queuing remains the top issue with 56% of respondents reporting queues for five minutes or less, while 34% reported queues of 6-15 minutes and 10% said they waited more than 15 minutes. An impressive 89% agreed or strongly agreed that any inconvenience caused by the screening process was acceptable.
While the high overall satisfaction rate suggests UK airports are doing well in delivering a positive passenger experience during security screening, the variation between airports indicates there is still work to do. Queuing delays remain the most common cause for complaint, with further improvements needed to ensure a more seamless, efficient process. Reduced queue times, consistency across the UK’s airport network and ensuring high levels of professionalism and organisation are key improvements that need to be made.
Photo: Birmingham Airport
