Manchester Airport first in UK to offer passengers option to pre-book a timeslot at security

It’s not just retailers which are introducing new measures to improve the shopping experience post lockdown.

With airports starting to see more people wanting to travel, they are coming up with new ways to improve the flying experience and help restore confidence in air travel.

Passengers flying from Manchester Airport now have the opportunity to pre-book a free 15-minute security slot, as part of a UK-first new trial.

By booking their free slot, passengers will benefit from access to a dedicated lane straight to the security checkpoint and will be able to reach the departure lounge quicker.

This will also allow the airport to manage the volume of passengers coming through security more efficiently and help keep queues shorter.

Passengers are encouraged to make a booking around two hours before their flight departure time and asked to arrive within the chosen slot. If they arrive outside the allocated time, they will not be able to access the dedicated line and will be redirected to the security queue, which may be longer than usual given social distancing measures that the airport will put in place.

The availability of slots is limited and will be operated on a first come first served basis, through online booking.

Manchester is the first UK airport to announce such a scheme, and in so doing is aiming to support safe standards for future air travel.

If successful, the technology will be put in place at the group’s other airports at London Stansted and East Midlands.

It’s the latest in a series of measures introduced by Manchester Airport Group to ensure passengers feel safer and more confident about travelling by air, particularly when travel demand starts to grow again in the near future.

Last month, the airport group became the first to ask all passengers to cover their face either with face masks or with their own clothing. All MAG colleagues, interacting with passengers, are also required to wear the necessary protective equipment.

“Safety and security will always be the first priority and, at the same time, Covid-19 will undoubtedly reshape the airport experience.” said Brad Miller, Chief Operating Officer at Manchester Airport.

“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.

The booking system was developed by MAGO, Manchester Airport Group’s in-house digital business, which provides industry leading online technology for airports.

It is available from this week and accessible here: booking.manchesterairport.co.uk/security/dates