Passengers flying out of Cologne/Bonn Airport (CGN) were advised to arrive early on 15 September after the airport warned of “significant waiting times” at security screening. According to a notice carried by dpa and published by Die Zeit, the private security contractor was unable to provide the number of screeners ordered for the morning shift, forcing the closure of several lanes in Terminal 1. Images shared on social platform X showed queues snaking hundreds of metres through the check-in hall. Airport authorities handed out bottled water and coordinated with airlines to keep departure gates open longer. No flights had to be cancelled by midday, but several Eurowings and Ryanair departures left with minor delays while awaiting late-arriving passengers. For Germany-based corporates that use Cologne/Bonn as a low-cost alternative to Düsseldorf, the disruption is a reminder that post-pandemic labour shortages in aviation security persist. Companies arranging group travel or assignee rotations through CGN should build in at least 60–90 minutes for security on peak mornings and consider purchasing fast-track services where available. The federal interior ministry is pushing for a nationwide digital queue-management app that would allow passengers to book security-slot times, but implementation has been patchy. Cologne/Bonn plans to pilot the system later this year, which could mitigate similar incidents ahead of the busy Christmas travel rush.
Source: Die Zeit / dpa
