Heathrow has begun trialling pre-booked security slots for departing passengers, which it hopes will reduce queuing times and provide “peace of mind” for passengers.
The six-month trial will initially involve passengers traveling with American Airlines, Delta, Emirates and Virgin Atlantic from Terminal 3, with the potential to add more airlines over the course of the trial period.
Eligible customers can reserve their space (free of charge) through this linkand will receive a QR code, which they will then take to Heathrow’s dedicated timetable area to scan.
Passengers can arrive up to 15 minutes before or after their scheduled time.
Heathrow said it was “one of the first UK airports to offer this system” – Manchester Airport launched similar tests in 2020and still offers the service on their website.
Amsterdam Schiphol also launched a pilot program for pre-booked security spaces earlier this yearand since then it has implemented it in all destinations.
Amsterdam Schiphol extends security check times with prior reservation to all destinations
Heathrow said the trial results “will inform any future extension or rollout to other terminals.”
The airport also took the opportunity to highlight that passengers “have consistently gone through security in less than five minutes over the summer and passenger satisfaction was higher than pre-pandemic levels, reflecting the investment that the airport, the airlines and their ground handlers have done in the hiring. and training more than 25,000 new colleagues in the last two years.”
Commenting on the news, Mark Powell, director of operational planning at Heathrow, said:
“Everyone is familiar with airport security, but at Heathrow we are constantly thinking of innovative ways to increase security and optimize the experience for our passengers.
“This new test will give passengers a little more certainty and peace of mind before their journey and we think it will be particularly popular for those with families or nervous travelers who want a little more confidence in their journeys.
“We look forward to seeing the data that will inform us about how we can implement this more widely at Heathrow.”
heathrow.com
