Heathrow 'recruiting staff to cut queues'

Recruitment is being pushed forward at Heathrow Airport in order to reduce queues for passengers, according to BAA.

One of the most problematic areas at airports for the build-up of queues is the security checkpoint and a spokesperson for the airport operator said that more workers are being brought in to deal with this issue.

Money is also being spent on technology improvements to keep delays to a minimum, the representative claimed.

"With regards to security, Heathrow is performing well and is investing heavily in new technology and recruiting additional security staff to drive down queues," she said.

"In August this year, one of the busiest on record, for 95 per cent of the time passengers queued for less than ten minutes."

A recent survey by IT company SITA found that congestion and security are the top priorities for investment among the world's major airport operators.

Heathrow Airport is one of the busiest travel hubs in the world, with 67.7 million passengers a year boarding flights to 186 destinations in over 90 countries.