Heathrow Airport waiting times to be cut

It has been announced that passengers travelling through Heathrow Airport will have queuing times at passport control reduced.

The UK Border Agency (UKBA) is to introduce new measures aimed at cutting the time UK and EU air travellers spend waiting for security checks down to a maximum of 15 minutes, down from the current 25 minutes limit.

Non-EU passengers should also see their waiting times reduced from the current 45 minutes to only half an hour.

Home secretary Jacqui Smith said: "A strong border is essential for the security of the UK. It is crucial that those with no right to be in this country are barred from entry.

"Today's agreement will combine these tough checks with our vow to make the process as quick as possible for legitimate travellers."

The news comes after a similar agreement was signed between Manchester Airport and the UKBA.

Heathrow Airport is the busiest gateway in the UK with 67 million passengers in 2007.

Posted by Graham Greenaway on the 14/10/2008 16:27:58
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