Robin MacRae said a combination of staff sickness and operational demands in other areas of the business had fuelled resourcing challenges, in particular among ‘appropriately trained security personnel’.
His comments came after severe weather conditions across the UK and Channel Islands caused major disruption to flights in and out of the Island at the weekend.
He said: ‘We are doing all that we can possibly do to get back to where we need to be and thank passengers for their patience and support.
‘Over the next 18 months, we have a planned programme of investment in our airport security infrastructure, as technology in this area advances and, in the shorter term, we will be reconfiguring and improving our central security search area, which will include the introduction of additional security lanes for exceptionally busy periods.’
He added: ‘We are also currently undergoing a recruitment drive within our security area which, when completed, will see a full complement of trained security agents.’
Asked about delays over the weekend, he said: ‘Although weather conditions improved on Sunday and the majority of flights resumed, this did have a knock-on effect in terms of high numbers of passengers travelling, especially on Sunday afternoon, with queues forming at times through central security search. We therefore continue to advise departing passengers to allow more time than usual for their journey through the Airport, especially during busy periods.’
Also on Sunday, an easyJet flight to Glasgow from Jersey had to request a ‘priority landing’ in Bristol owing to a fault with the cabin pressurisation system.
A spokesperson for the company said the diversion was a precautionary measure ‘in line with our procedures’.
‘The aircraft landed safely and, once on stand, all passengers disembarked normally. The safety of its passengers and crew is easyJet’s highest priority,’ they said.
