8430 Liverpool airport parking, fast track and security

They appear to be building a multi-story carpark in the middle of the Long Stay Parking and therefore some of it is out of use.
Flying out of Liverpool to Nice today amazed to see all the signs for ££££s for Fast Track Security. In Departures they have tube station style entry stiles in which you place your card to enter that system. Additionally a plastic bag for liquids vending machine just nearby. For the rest of us we go downstairs to be met by one Securicor lady who very, very, very, slowly inspects your passport and boarding card then directs you to an inspection machine. I looked back horrified to see the queue behind me all the way up the stairs to the floor above. You then proceed through again, more slowly than I have ever known and your things take ages to go through the machine. I should say that no-one I saw went through the Fast Track system - it was deserted when we passed. I imagine this new slow system will encourage some to pay next time! Final thoughts, I have never seen anyone use the Easyjet Priority Boarding System before - I would say 15 did today. No snow on the CDA or this area of Imperia provincia, thankfully.

Category
Travel & Holiday Advice

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 12/19/2007 - 03:21

I was talking to someone last night who had flown from Liverpool on Saturday morning and encountered the same security delays. He'd arrived 2 hours before the flight and spent more than 1 and half hours going through security.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 12/19/2007 - 17:39

Yup, the fast track is an absolute disgrace. We were victims of the queuing earlier in the summer - essentially, we arrived 2 hours prior to our departure (check-in not yet open) and then queued all the way to the door of the aircraft, finally boarding 5 minutes before it was due to depart. We didn't even move out of a queue for the toilet or a drink. I absolutely refuse to be blackmailed into purchasing 'fast track' tickets just to make my flight when I've done everything else as punctually as was possible. As I remarked at the time: "let them notice we've not boarded and start looking for us. They won't want to go looking in the hold for our bags before they've waited a reasonable time".

I personally believe that the airlines will pressure the airport into sorting this out. Out of 4 flights this Summer, 3 left late - due to late boarding passengers. This costs the airlines dearly - especially if they miss a 'flow control' time as the knock-on delays can be quite substantial. As for RyanAir - it also costs them statistically - and we all know how keen they are to be the 'on-time airline' ;)

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 12/20/2007 - 04:20

I think the Liverpool optional fast track only started because they had planned to charge EVERYONE using the airport a £2 charge to cover the costs of extra security and the airlines using Liverpool (mostly led by Easy and Ryanair) put pressure on to forbid this. After all a little extra charge being added on is their favorite game and they didn't want anyone else to play. So instead they've instigated the optional fee and are making it as miserable as possible if you avoid the charge. The security people are pretty miserable too - I had to beg and plead to be allowed to take a small coffee machine (under 10k) through last year in a padded bag - really just because it was 'weird' and because it 'might fall one someones head' - well yes but no more likely than anyone elses 10k bag surely? He made me promise never to do it again - tee - yeah like I'm likely to be starting a business exporting 2nd hand coffee machines to Italy..
I just feel mugged going to any airport now - the carparks are so expensive, the cafes are so pricy, the stuff you can only buy airside - like water - is marked up to joke like levels. But I guess thats what you get when the 'fare' is C£10 - they have to make it back somehow.
I suppose we just have to readjust our sets, pay the £2 and include it in the 'real' price of our travel..
E Midlands for me on Sat - wonder what new fun and games they will have dreamed up..
Safe travels all..

M

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 12/20/2007 - 15:41

It'll be interesting to hear about Emidlands. Wish someone flew to Nice for £10 - those days are long gone its only Easyjet in winter and Jet2 are unfortunately not noted for low cost flights in the summer season.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 12/27/2007 - 04:46

Having flown out of Liverpool a couple of times since they brought in the fast pass I'll add my two penny worth!

I have used the fast track both times & felt that it was worth the money - I felt so much less stressed - managed to buy a paper, browse the duty free, have a coffee & still get to the gate in good time. Yes it's another cost added on (& when you are a family of four as my dad says "a penny bun costs fourpence") so it's not for everyone, but lets not forget that it's these additional charges which have helped to bring down the cost of flying (I remember twenty five years ago or so that if you weren't staying a Saturday night you'd get clobbered for £600 return to most European destination) and have also made so may destinations accessible (I remember flying to Berlin from London in 1989 and taking three flights!). I'll have my £2 coins (times four) at th ready tomorrow morning!

Chris