Bristol Airport: one of the worst for security queues in the UK according to Which? survey - see the full list

Bristol Airport has been ranked as one of the worst airports in the country for its security queues. This is according to a survey conducted by consumer group Which? that ranked and compared the UK’s 14 major airports.

The news comes following a summer that was filled with travel issues at the South West of England facility as passengers dealt with mass amounts of flight delays and cancellations. Staff shortages as well as a spike in demand following the Covid-19 pandemic were the main causes behind the air travel disruption.

Which? researchers surveyed 1,300 people who travelled to or from a UK airport over that period. They were asked how long it took them to queue at security.

In what is not a good look for Bristol Airport, it ranked as the second worst with passengers having to wait an average of 30 minutes. A total of 17-percent of the respondents reported queues in excess of one hour at the airport.

Guy Hobbs, editor of Which? Travel magazine issued the following statement: “Travellers this year have borne the brunt of unprecedented chaos at UK airports, with huge numbers enduring long queues and some even missing a flight due to excessive wait times to clear security. Your choice of airport shouldn’t make or break your holiday – but for too many travellers this year, that has been the case. We’d recommend choosing an airport with a better record on queues and treatment of passengers, even if that involves travelling slightly further from home.”

Worst UK airports for security queues rankings

Finishing top of the pile was Leeds Bradford Airport as travellers experienced an average security queue length of 35 minutes. More than a quarter (27 percent) of the facility’s users waited more than an hour to pass through security checkpoints.

Ranking as some of the top UK airports with the best queue times include Glasgow International and Belfast City. But the best performing was London City Airport, with the survey findings revealing an average estimated security queue wait time of just 12 minutes. See the full rankings here:

1. Leeds Bradford Airport - 35 minutes
2. Bristol Airport - 30 minutes
3. Birmingham Airport - 24 minutes
4. Manchester Airport - 24 minutes
5. London Heathrow Airport - 20 minutes
6. London Luton Airport - 19 minutes
7. Belfast International Airport - 18 minutes
8. London Stansted Airport - 18 minutes
9. Edinburgh Airport - 16 minutes
10. London Gatwick Airport - 16 minutes
11. Newcastle Airport - 15 minutes
12. Glasgow International Airport - 13 minutes
13. Belfast City Airport - 13 minutes
14. London City Airport - 12 minutes