Passengers face four-hour queues at Heathrow Airport
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Passengers could soon face lengthy queues at immigration as extra staff who were drafted in to help during the Olympics are due to leave Heathrow at the end of the month.
Earlier in the summer, passengers faced queues of up to four hours to get through passport control, and staff shortages mean that the same thing could happen again.
The Daily Mail reports that senior immigration officers say the situation is likely to get "progressively worse" unless more staff are brought in on a permanent basis.
Although UK Border Force is recruiting at least 70 new immigration officers for Heathrow, they will not be fully trained for another nine months.
According to the Daily Star, a "large number" of serving officers applied for the new posts but failed a new online test - which has been criticised for containing irrelevant questions.
A source told the Daily Star: "At a time when Britain's borders are under increasing pressure, to reject applications from experienced immigration officers based on a flawed online test in favour of people with little or no experience on the frontline makes no sense."
A spokesman told the newspaper: "We have tried and tested plans in place to deal with busy periods.
"We will be keeping some contingency staff in place until the new recruits are on board."
Click on the image below to see our rundown of the world's best airports...
Ten of the best: Airports
- 2. Singapore Changi Airport<p> Changi Airport serves more than 100 airlines and operates 6,100 weekly flights - yet it is still a pleasure to travel through. The airport boasts tropical gardens, cinemas, a rooftop pool, rain showers and even fish spas in case your feet are feeling a little weary and in need of a relaxing nibble...</p>
- 3. Hong Kong International Airport<p> Offering what's been described as 'the world's best airport shopping destination', Hong Kong International Airport also contains a variety of top-notch restaurants serving Western, Chinese and Asian food. It also has sport simulators and a SkyCity Nine Eagles Golf Course to boot!</p>
- 4. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport<p> Located a convenient 20 minutes from the city centre, Amsterdam Schiphol keeps its customers well entertained, with a casino, a library, an indoor/outdoor park, a museum, a huge variety of restaurants and shops and a 6D cinema. No chance of getting bored here!</p>
- 5. Beijing Capital International Airport<p> Beijing Capital International Airport has three terminals and is currently the second busiest airport in the world. Its third terminal, opened in 2008 in time for the Olympic games, is also the second largest in the world. It's widely praised as one of the most efficient airports in the world.</p>
- 6. Munich Airport<p> Munich Airport, the second busiest in Germany, features a vast assortment of shops and eateries, from Pandora to Hermès, Starbucks to Subway. It also has a cinema, mini golf course, and tours of historic aircrafts.</p>
- 7. Zurich Airport<p> Currently ranked as a 4-star airport by Skytrax along with only eight other airports around the world, Zurich airport is Switzerland's largest international flight gateway. It has plenty of shops and restaurants, and even an underground train.</p>
- 8. Kuala Lumpur International Airport<p> In addition to a wide range of restaurants and retail outlets, Kuala Lumpur International Airport caters to everyone's needs with a variety of facilities and leisure activities, including reflexology and massage treatments, nurseries, and smoking lounges.</p>
- 9. Vancouver International Airport<p> Located a handy 7.5 miles from downtown Vancouver, this airport has won several prestigious international best airport awards. Its interior features one of the most extensive collections of Pacific Northwest Coast Native art in the world, and has blues and greens to reflect the colours of the land, sea and sky. The airport, which uses great quantities of carpet and glass, even has a waterfall nestled between two escalators to keep passengers calm as they travel.</p>
- 10. Central Japan International Airport<p> Situated on an artificial island in Ise Bay, this airport is 22 miles south of Nagoya in central Japan. Centrair, as the airport is also known, features the 4th Floor Sky Town shopping centre with 61 shops and restaurants that are organized into two "streets": Renga-dori and Chochin-yokocho. The airport has won a number of accolades including 4th Best Airport Worldwide in 2011.</p>
- 1. Incheon International Airport<p> The largest airport in South Korea, and one of the largest airports in the world, Incheon International has plenty of room. Enough, in fact, to house a golf course, a spa, private sleeping rooms, a casino, indoor gardens, a Museum of Korean Culture and even an ice skating rink! Departure process takes 16 minutes and arrival takes only 12 minutes, beating the global average of 60 and 45 respectively. </p>
