- By Dulcie Lee and Rachel Russell
- BBC News
May 27, 2023 at 9:15 am BST
Updated 48 minutes ago
Passengers flying to the UK have expressed anger at the delays as electronic passport checks across the country have not been operational throughout the day.
The problem at airports including Heathrow, Manchester and Gatwick began Friday night.
The Home Office said it was working with airlines and port operators to minimize disruption from the “country-wide border system issue”.
A union warned that queues would form quickly.
All airports across the country using the gates will be affected, meaning people flying in will have to have their passports checked manually.
Marc Baret had booked a flight from Chicago to Manchester via Heathrow but told BBC News he changed his plans when he had to wait more than two hours at London airport.
He said: “It was absolute chaos at passport control. There were people who got really frustrated and a few people tried to dodge the line, the police had to step in and one of the passengers fainted,” he said.
A passenger who arrived at Gatwick said the situation was a “complete joke”.
Another, Craig Pullen, said he had to wait in line at Luton Airport for more than two hours on Saturday, adding it was “very bad” that travelers weren’t being regularly briefed on the problems with the E-gates, he said how long it would take to clear passport control.
It is unclear where the problem with the border system lies. A Home Office spokesman said it was “too sensitive to tell”.
Whilst it will technically affect anywhere people are screened entering the UK, the impact will mainly be felt at larger airports with e-gates.
It was already expected that this weekend would be very busy for travelers as the holiday coincides with the semester break for many families.
Travelers leaving the UK from the Port of Dover have also faced problems after the French passport system failed earlier on Saturday.
That problem has since been fixed, but cars and coaches wait about an hour and on a busy bank holiday weekend there are around 400 trucks queuing to make the crossing.
picture description,
Passengers queue for ferries at the Port of Dover in Kent on Saturday
Airports across the UK issued statements warning passengers about delays but said they were working with UK Border Police to minimize disruption.
A spokesman for Gatwick Airport said on Saturday morning that queues were “manageable” at this point – although 800 flights are expected to arrive during the day. The issue has been confirmed to first appear on Friday between 19:00 and 20:00 BST.
The E-Gate system speeds up passport control by allowing some passengers to scan their own passports. Face recognition is used to verify identity and capture the traveller’s image.
Lucy Morton, of the Immigration Services Union, told the BBC that depending on the airport, normally between 60% and 80% of arriving passengers use e-gates and as these are not available queues are likely to form “very quickly”.
“There is no national security impact,” she said, explaining that all arrivals would continue to be fully controlled through manned officer counters.
E-Gates can be used by UK citizens over the age of 12 and EU citizens, as well as people from countries such as Australia, Canada, the USA, Japan and New Zealand.
However, all boarding points will still have manned security desks for other passengers and those unable to use e-gates.
A Home Office spokesman said they were aware of a “nationwide problem with the border system affecting arrivals in the UK”.
“We are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible and are working with port operators and airlines to minimize disruption to travelers,” they said.
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