Airport security team steps in to get Christmas mail away

Both security scanners, which are normally used by Guernsey Post, broke down on Saturday evening as mail was being prepared for loading onto the mail plane.

The airport’s security team swiftly arranged for the mail to be scanned using the airport’s own facilities, thereby preventing it from having to be sent back to Post’s headquarters at Envoy House, where it would have had to remain until after Christmas.

Senior airport security manager Travis Torode said that upon hearing news of Guernsey Post’s regular scanners’ plight at about 5.30pm, he and his team quickly liaised with the necessary stakeholders, including the director of civil aviation, and were given permission for the mail to be scanned at the airport.

Mr Torode said approximately 400kg of mail was scanned and processed in just over an hour after being delivered to the airport.

‘All in all, from the initial phone call to the last bits of mail going through, it went really quickly, and none of the mail presented an issue at all, which was a bonus. Everyone pulled their weight to ensure everything ran on time.’

Guernsey Post head of transport Steve Lawrence said he and his staff were ‘incredibly grateful’ to Mr Torode and his team for ‘stepping in and going above and beyond’ to help.

‘Their quick thinking and support ensured that we could keep the mail moving during such a critical time,’ he said.

‘This kind of teamwork is what makes all the difference, especially in the lead up to Christmas.’