Passengers at Heathrow Airport are being made to wait for too long to get into the UK and the Border Force needs to change the way it operates, the Immigration Minister said today.
As the row grew over the impact on the UK's reputation and ability to deal with the 2012 Olympics, Damian Green said 80 extra staff would start work this month to help ease the lengthy queues.
Green insisted it was not just about staff numbers, but about how and when they were deployed, saying the Border Force needed to be more flexible.
Green said: "The problem is that people, at certain times, on certain days, have to wait too long."
"We're addressing that problem."
"Border Force need to change the way they operate, we need to work better with the operator BAA and with the airlines, and, as of today, we are instituting some changes as the summer starts."
"During the course of May we're employing 80 more people."
But he denied the problems were caused by the "absolute numbers", saying it was about when and where staff could be deployed.
"You need the right people at the right time in the right terminal," he said.
A central control room will be established so staff know "what's happening at all terminals at all times", Green said.
Mobile rapid-response teams, along with new shift patterns, will also be brought in to offer "additional flexibility" to help "cope with the peaks and troughs you can expect to get at any busy airport".
And during this summer's Games, all immigration desks at Heathrow and other key ports and airports in the South East will be fully staffed during peak periods, he said.
Asked about the potential damage to the UK's reputation, Green added: "I think the key thing is the individual passenger experience.
"We have to ensure the border is secure. Security is the number one priority. But after that we have to make sure that the personal experience is as smooth as possible."
David Cameron's official spokesman said the Prime Minister saw Theresa May this morning for an update on the situation at Heathrow, but the issue was not discussed at the regular weekly meeting of Cabinet at 10 Downing Street.
"As you would expect, the Prime Minister wants to be kept up to date and the Home Secretary wants to update him on the situation at Heathrow," said the spokesman.
"The Home Office have made clear that they think there is a problem here, that waiting for longer than 90 minutes at passport control is too long and they are deploying resources to deal with that."
He added: "We are seeing some unacceptable queues building up at Heathrow and clearly we need to deal with that and we don't want people to have to wait for that kind of length of time.
"We don't set out a target on this, but I think most people would agree that the queues we have seen in recent days are unacceptable. We think that, which is why we are working to deal with it...
"Whether they are holidaymakers or businessmen visiting the UK, these people don't want to queue for a long time. We understand their frustrations, we want to do everything we can to deal with that problem and that is why the Prime Minister is interested in the issue."
He added: "Our objective is to do everything we can to reduce these queues but not do anything to undermine border security."
In response to unconfirmed reports that this could include asking airlines to contribute towards the cost of border security, the spokesman said: "Clearly, the Home Office are talking to the airlines and airport authorities and if there are suggestions about improvements that can be made, then clearly we will listen to those."
Asked whether Mr Cameron now regretted reductions in Border Force staff numbers, the spokesman said: "We think it is too simplistic to talk purely about staff numbers. What we need to make sure we are doing is deploying the people we have effectively and flexibly, and that is what they are working to do."
Yvette Cooper MP, Labour's Shadow Home Secretary, accused ministers of showing a "shocking level of complacency over the chaos at Heathrow border control".
"The Immigration Minister's claims that queues are under control are completely at odds with the experience of travellers over the past few weeks, as well as the evidence from airlines. Time and again we have heard
from passengers queuing for hours while most of the immigration desks stood empty."
"It's time for the Home Office to publish their full figures on waiting times at every terminal at Heathrow and other airports, so they can be scrutinised by passengers and airlines to see if they match with public
experience. If Ministers won't even admit to the scale of the problem, how on earth can they solve it?"
"Last year Ministers licensed major security downgrades whilst claiming not to know what was going on. This year they don't seem to have a clue about the extent of the queues. At the same time, 1,500 Border Force staff are
being cut. Home Office management of Britain's borders is drifting from one shambles to another. The Home Secretary needs to take charge of this chaos and get it sorted out."
"People want to know there are proper security checks in place with swift processes for travellers too. With new technology, the government should be aiming to strengthen border checks year on year whilst helping travellers get more swiftly to their destination. Leaving families to struggle with tired kids in long queues, or delaying business travellers because of poor management or the scale of cuts is unacceptable."