So far, in Austria - in contrast to other countries - the waiting times at the security checks have been limited. At Innsbruck Airport, the acute shortage of staff is now proving to be a serious problem, so that the airport has to warn of longer waiting times on its homepage.
The background is also that Innsbruck Airport lacks around 30 employees in the security department. The positions are advertised, but they are not employees of the airport, because the person checks are outsourced to the company Securitas. It was announced a few weeks ago that filling the vacancies is quite complicated. Apparently, the hourly wage of 14,26 euros is not exactly attractive.
While Airport Manager Marco Pernetta emphasized in a number of interviews in the summer of 2022 that the advantage of flying from Innsbruck is, among other things, that there are no long waiting times, the passengers affected now see it completely differently. It should also be noted that the Tyrolean Airport has significantly more passengers in the cold season than in summer due to the fact that many popular ski areas are located in the region. Thus, the lack of staff in the warm time was not so noticeable.
Many angry passengers leave extremely negative reviews about the security checks at Innsbruck Airport on the Internet. It is criticized that the waiting times are up to two hours and that travelers are said to find long queues out onto the street. Passengers are particularly annoyed that, due to a lack of staff, only one control line should be open at certain times, even at peak times. Since the actual main season in Innsbruck is just beginning, it remains to be seen whether the airport and/or Securitas can still take appropriate countermeasures. Otherwise, passengers will have to be prepared for long waiting times and chaotic conditions.
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