The new entrance to the search area at the airport opened over the weekend.

It’s the first phase to be completed of improvements at Ronaldsway being carried out to deal with the build-up of passenger queues through security at busy times.

Peak time passenger queues at the airport started to become problem at the end of September.

A £300,000 scheme has been underway since the spring to enlarge the central search area and to open the second X-ray line.

Staff recruitment and training is under way to allow the second scanner to be manned continuously throughout the day.

Meanwhile, passenger watchdog TravelWatch is calling on the Manx government to follow Guernsey’s example and introduce light touch regulation of routes.

Guernsey’s States parliament last week voted to open up most air routes to the island to full competition, while maintaining a regulatory approach to services considered most vital to the Bailiwick’s economic or social needs.

TravelWatch said it had been attempting to persuade the Manx government to adopt precisely this approach for many years.

Spokesman Terry Liddiard said: ’The airline industry thrives on competition, but small and sometimes comparatively isolated communities will always require some sort of limited input to ensure totally uncontrolled competition does not put vital services at risk.’

He said the island has lost 11 air routes completely and seen the ’drastic’ cut in frequency on services to Birmingham, Belfast and London Gatwick.

Mr Liddiard claimed businesses have recently voiced ’extreme dissatisfaction’ at the inadequacy of air services to London and the South East.