But those days are fading.
Dunedin Airport now leads the country's domestic aviation security screening services following the launch of two new Pro Vision 2 advanced body scanners and two new smart lane X-ray machines for screening baggage.
They are part of stage one of the airport terminal's expansion project and were used for the first time yesterday afternoon to screen passengers on a flight from Dunedin to Auckland.
Pro Vision 2 scanners were first installed at Auckland Airport's international terminal in June, but domestic passengers on jet flights from Dunedin are the first travelling within New Zealand to go through the equipment.
It uses millimetre-wave (mmW) technology to provide an automatic, electronic means of detecting concealed objects, and is part of a $100million Aviation Security Service project to bring leading security technology to all New Zealand's international airports by June next year.
Dunedin Airport chief executive Richard Roberts said the opening of the new security screening area marked the completion of stage one of the airport's two-stage terminal expansion project, designed to meet growing demands.
Since the terminal was built in 2006, passenger numbers had increased 47% and the number of jets flying to Dunedin had increased 46%, he said.
The number of flights to Auckland had increased and the million-passenger mark was reached for the first time last year.
Queues reached outside the security area through the cafes.
The security screening area had been increased by 157%, and the new temporary departure lounge would also reduce passenger queues.
Aviation Security Service group operations manager Karen Urwin said the new equipment did not mean the end of queues at the airport.
"Unfortunately, that's a fact of life. But what you will see is a shorter time in the queue.
"It's not whether you have a queue, it's how quickly that queue moves, and with this kind of equipment, it's going to move pretty quickly.''
It was hoped stage two of the airport's $13.5million project would be completed in February next year.
The new terminal would have almost 200% more floor space in the departure area, with new toilets, cafe and retail spaces. There would also be an extra 200 spaces in the car park.
