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Lengthy border delays have already blighted British holidaymakers’ return to the UK, so travellers will be reassured by the news that the government is drafting in extra staff to address the problem.

The Border Force’s monthly performance data showed that it failed to meet its waiting target of 25 minutes for European, including UK, passport holders on 23 out of the 30 days in April.

The longest waiting time was at Terminal 4 on 30 April, when it took three hours for some passengers to get to passport control.

In an attempt to avoid another scandal over lengthy queuing times, Damian Green, the UK’s immigration minister, confirmed that 70 border staff would be recruited at Heathrow. This is designed to deal with the aftermath of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The additional posts were initially meant to be taken up when the renovated Terminal 2 reopens in two years’ time. However, the staff will now be in place before the start of the new academic year in September, when the UK will see an influx of overseas students.

Although an extra 480 guards will be used by the UK Border Force during the games, this figure will be clawed back after the event.

However, Mr Green revealed that 16 mobile teams of ten people were already in place at Heathrow to begin to tackle the ongoing issues at UK Border Control.

Speaking to the Commons Home Affairs Committee, BAA chief executive Colin Matthews, British Airways’ operations director Andrew Lord, and Corneel Koster, Virgin Atlantic’s director of operations, said that the problem at Border Control started in 2010 and has been gradually getting worse.

The Committee was also told that fast-track lanes have done little to ease the queuing problem, as passengers are taking up to 50 minutes to get through them.

Airlines have also been warned that cuts to Border Force staff, with 1,500 jobs going by 2015, may also exacerbate issues at passport control.

(Images: British Airways)

About the author

Oonagh ShielContent Manager at Cheapflights whose travel life can be best summed up as BC (before children) and PC (post children). We only travel during the school holidays so short-haul trips and staycations are our specialities!

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