Holidaymakers rate airport security as the most irritating thing about going away

While everyone understands that certain security measures at airports are absolutely necessary and very much in the interests of passengers, it seems that a high proportion of British holidaymakers have become irritated at the way in which the process is handled.

This is according to a recent survey by Holiday Extras, which found that 28 per cent of tourists heading off from UK airports become extremely annoyed at the amount of time they have to spend waiting in line to pass through security, despite the fact that this is entirely for their own good.

It appears that many people believe the experience of passing through airport checkpoints could be made more bearable by cutting out certain steps in the process. For instance, just under one in four said they felt that taking off shoes, belts and jewellery is unnecessary, and that passengers should not be forced to do this.

However, the reality is that this has been deemed essential by the relevant authorities, and while it may sometimes lead to slightly longer queues at airports, all tourists are advised to bear in mind that these necessary steps have been put in place for their own protection.

The survey also revealed that 42 per cent of people believe that the process of passing through airport security could be better organised. In fact, a fifth of British travellers claimed that this is the worst thing about going on holiday, and an incredible 75 per cent said that they don't believe airport security to be entirely necessary.

In reality, a large part of the problem is not down to the organisation skills of airport staff, but the fact that many passengers are unprepared to pass through security when they arrive, and therefore contribute to the lengthy waiting times.

For instance, anyone who has liquid in their carry-on luggage or who hasn't taken their laptop out of its case is likely to cause a hold-up, which is why those who want to speed up the process should always make sure that they have everything ready before getting in line.

Posted by Robin Western