WHEN travellers step off a long flight, they want to
get off the plane and on to their destinations as quickly as possible. But
getting out of the airport is becoming much more tiring for visitors to USA and
Europe because of lengthening queues for passport control. Not only are
passengers getting fed up; airlines and many airports are, too.
On August 30th Virgin Atlantic published data showing
that Heathrow hit its target for processing more than 95% of non-EEA passengers
within 45 minutes on only one day in July, with some waiting up to 156 minutes..
Queues at Heathrow, Europe’s biggest airport, have been growing since 2015 (see chart). In Europe’s Schengen
passport area, they have grown since more thorough checks were introduced last
year owing to the migrant crisis. Queues have also increased in USA, where
travellers in Boston, New York and Miami often find themselves waiting in line
for over three hours.
Airlines and airports are starting to worry that the lines
could discourage flying for business. Austerity is a primary cause of the
waits, according to Andrew Charlton of Aviation Advocacy, a research firm based
in Geneva. Since the 2007-09 financial crisis, air traffic has increased and
budgets for passport controllers have been slashed. The number of passengers
going through Britain’s airports has risen by a quarter since 2012, for
example, but its border force’s budget has fallen by a tenth. USA international
passenger numbers have risen three times faster than its border-patrol budget
in the same period.
Late last month Britain’s government announced plans
for special lanes for British citizens after Brexit, which will most probably
worsen queues for everyone else.
Many governments are considering shifting the cost of
passport checks and some airports fear the entire bill for passport control may
be dumped on them. The industry could easily
contribute financially to speed things up.
Article from The Economist (edited)
