Flights – whether they be long or short haul – often require lots of organisation and admin, down to even the simplest thing such as remembering passports, insurance and boarding cards. These often require travellers to rummage around their hand luggage, attempting to find the printed off paper or travel document, as they wait in line. During the summer, the security checks are often particularly lengthy, and those travelling for example with a family may already be frazzled before they step foot in line. Yet a nifty trick which isn’t too costly at some airports has come to light.
Findings from travel firm Globehunters have shone the spotlight on travellers’ ability to obtain a fast track pass through security.
It placed Newcastle Airport and Norwich International Airport as the cheapest for fast track services per person, costing each traveller £3.
For those with children, Belfast International Airport, Birmingham International Airport, East Midlands Airport, Gatwick Airport, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Luton Airport, and Newcastle Airport all offer exemptions for children under certain ages.
Meanwhile, Gatwick Airport is the cheapest London airport for fast track, at £5.
Tipping the other end of the scale, Heathrow comes in at the most expensive at £12.50.
Stansted is ranked at second at £7 per person.
Spiros Maragkoudakis, a spokesperson for Globehunters, told Express.co.uk: “The research has, perhaps unsurprisingly, highlighted that the busiest airports are charging the most for their fast track services as that is where the majority of people would want such a service to be available – where the queues are likely to be the longest.
“For example, Heathrow Airport has on average over 75 million passengers through it’s doors annually and is in fact the second busiest airport in the world.
“Compare this to Newcastle Airport which has on average around 5.3 million passengers annually and you can see why Heathrow would charge £9.50 more to fast track through their security queues.
“However, with airports such as Gatwick Airport, Belfast International Airport, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, Luton Airport, Birmingham International Airport and East Midlands Airports offering child reductions or exemptions, it may sway parents to opt for a fast track lane at these airports.“
Meanwhile, the airport lounge service all travellers want and crave recently came to light.
Plaza Premium Lounge’s founder, Mr Song, has revealed the top facilities every businessperson wants – and sometimes, a simple cuppa is all it takes.
He exclusively told Express.co.uk: “What a business traveller looks for is efficiency, finding ways to do this quicker, more efficient and convenient.
“We want all things to be done with a touch of a button!
“For example a quiet space with high speed Wi-Fi-enabled, collaborative workspaces, meeting rooms and break out spaces to conduct business meetings or calls before boarding for the next destination.
“For those who are arriving, they always look for clothes-pressing services, shower facilities to freshen up or enjoy a good meal before their next meeting in town.
“Also importantly, it is the little things by our team that is always a plus sometimes a good coffee or a glass of wine is just what is needed before a flight, so we make sure our team is intuitive to the needs.”
He added: “Ultimately, we are here to make travel better.
“We want to make your time efficient and give you a place to freshen up, shower, iron your clothes, eat, and if you want to attend a 9am meeting from the airport, you’re ready to go.
“We designed our lounges for the traveller, so it is appropriate considering the location and culture, so the way we approach a lounge in Heathrow and Siem Reap, the latter being a holiday destination, the way we approach the design would be more family-friendly and designed for leisure travellers.”
