Only 10% opt to pay security charge at JLA
Liverpool airport became the first in the country to introduce a charge for using a fast-track security queue at the start of the year, but only 10% of people have opted to pay the £2 fee.Airport owners Peel Holdings said they had been forced to introduce the charge because security costs at JLA (John Lennon Airport) had almost trebled in the past five years to around £5 million. The company claims to have invested over £80 million in the airport in recent years, but has made a loss of around £15 million over the same period.
JLA has had a successful year with passenger numbers between June and August up 13.7% on last year. The airport was also recently named Airport of the Year at the Travel Trade Gazette awards. But the fact it is still recording a loss shows the difficulties airport operators face.
Airport spokesman Robin Tudor says: "It is entirely at each passenger's discretion whether they choose to pay the £2 charge, and from our point of view it is a case of every penny counts towards the cost of security".
Written by: Nick Purdom
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