Reduced security check waiting times at Oslo Airport

Oslo Airport has reveal its security check waiting times have been reduced to an average two minutes with customer satisfaction rising each year.

In the period 15 June to 31 August, 2,660,000 passengers passed through security, an average of 35,000 passengers per day. The summer’s busiest day was 21 June 2015 when 44,865 passed through the airport.

Knut Holen, Director of Terminal Operations, says that the airport has been working systematically and persistently since last summer to provide summer 2015 travellers with the shortest possible waiting times in security.

“We have worked in a targeted manner to keep waiting times down, so it’s wonderful to affirm that 99.97 per cent of passengers spent less than fifteen minutes queuing through security. In fact, the average transit time been two minutes,” says Holen, adding:

“The security check is looked upon as a stress factor by many, so it is particularly important to us that this part of the journey goes smoothly. The fact that we handled the summer traffic with such short waiting times is very gratifying to us.”

“The security check is looked upon as a stress factor by many, so it is particularly important to us that this part of the journey goes smoothly.”

Each year over 1,000 travellers are surveyed about the airports security check. According to Oslo Airport, the recent survey indicated a positive trend with satisfaction increasing year-on-year.

“We work every day to provide better service in the security check and it is satisfying to see that there is a positive trend. We also know that we face a challenging period until we open the new terminal in 2017,” says Holen.

Security officers are increasingly viewed as showing concern for the welfare of travellers. They are also perceived as more customer friendly and efficient.

“All security checkpoint staff take service courses as part of their training. This approach enables employees to improve how they perform their jobs in a way that translates into a more pleasant travel experience passengers,” says Holen.

On 26 August, Oslo Airport implemented new EU security legislation. Under the new rules, random hand searches of passengers are being replaced by checks using an Explosives Trace Detector (ETD).

“We are absolutely confident that passengers at Oslo Airport will experience this as a positive change because we know that travellers are uncomfortable with manual checks. Checks using a particle detector provide an even faster and better experience in security. At the same time, security is handled in a better way,” concludes Holen.