Work to improve the security area at the airport hasn’t yet stopped the queues.

Airport director Ann Reynolds has apologised to one passenger who had to wait almost half an hour to get through security on Friday afternoon - despite arriving an hour and a half before their Bristol flight.

Meanwhile, work is continuing to improve flow through security. But it will be the end of July before a second scanner can be staffed continuously.

The passenger who booked onto Friday evening’s 6pm easyJet flight to Bristol arrived at the airport at 4.30pm but found the queue was as bad as ever. It stretched back behind the elevator and it took her 26 minutes to get through security.

Ms Reynolds said: ’Firstly, I am very sorry that the passenger felt she queued too long to get through to the central search area.

’I understand she said she queued 26 minutes to reach the X-ray machines, which having investigated and looked back to last Friday’s situation I would confirm is an accurate account, and I am very sorry this is longer than is satisfactory.

’There was a potential mix of passengers of four flights, and obviously the passenger gave herself plenty of time to get into departures. Still 26 minutes is too long.’

Peak time passenger queues at Ronaldsway started to become problem at the end of September - and airport bosses still don’t why the issue suddenly arose then as there had been no changes to schedules or security processing.

Part of the problem is the close timing of flights using large aircraft and another factor is the growing number of passengers using apps and online check-in.

Ms Reynolds gave an update on the £300,000 scheme to enlarge the central search area and to open the second X-ray line.

She said: ’We will be merging the current queueing area and entrance, and the new entrance and queuing area has now been built.

’We will be looking to bringing the new entrance into place by July 9 which will be located next to the lift on the first floor, so passengers will turn left at the top of the escalator to the new entrance.

’With regards to the opening of the second line, we are still on schedule to open up the second X-ray line continuously throughout the day by the end of July.

’Our contractor is continuing the recruitment of the additional staff, which can take between 12 to 20 weeks to complete all the relevant security checks, training, and minimum on the job training.’

But Ms Reynolds said that the second scanner had been in operation at the end of TT and at other times when sufficient staff were available.

She explained: ’Although the recruitment is not yet complete the staff numbers are increasing so there are times during the week where the second X-ray line will be in use - as indeed was the case at the end of the TT when the second line was opened.’