Cheap travel expert claims airport hack is a ‘waste of money’

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Two travel experts put airport security to the test to determine if paying for a fast track pass through departures is worth the added cost. Posting as the Cheap Holiday Expert on Instagram, Chelsea wrote: “I really thought this would be very straightforward but allow us to question how much is worth paying for minutes saved but… that’s not what happened.” While James paid for the “speedy” premium service, Chelsea stuck with navigating the usual – free – security checkpoints. Chelsea predicted: “There is a chance he will have been stopped because he gets stopped all the time, so hopefully that’s on our side.” Overall, the £6 fast track was deemed a “waste of money” by James who took 16 minutes and 30 seconds to reach the other side of security after having his bags pulled because his camera hadn’t been unpacked. However, Chelsea added: “I’m 95 per cent certain I would have still got out quicker because there was no backup in my security.” Simon Calder, travel correspondent of The Independent, previously worked as a security officer at London Gatwick Airport.