BBC: Long queues at UK airports due to electronic gate failure

Passengers arriving at UK airports on Saturday face long queues due to a malfunction in electronic passport control. This reports the BBC. Problems with electronic gates at London Heathrow and Gatwick airports and Manchester airport, among others, began on Friday evening.

Due to the long Whitsun weekend, it is very busy with travelers at UK airports. Passports now have to be checked manually and it takes a lot longer. Wait times would be several hours. Typically, 60-80% of travelers pass through electronic gates, depending on the airport, according to the BBC.

Electronic Passport Control is available to Britons over the age of twelve and citizens of the European Union and countries such as Australia, Canada, the United States, Japan and New Zealand. Travelers can scan their passport themselves. Electronic facial recognition is used to verify their identity. They are also photographed as they walk through the door.

“We are aware of a national issue with the border system affecting arrivals into the UK,” said the Home Office, which is responsible for border control. “We are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible and limit inconvenience to travellers.”

Heathrow, the UK’s largest airport, says extra staff are being deployed to deal with long queues and liaise with border authorities.

Airline British Airways also had to deal with its own computer outage on Thursday and Friday, following which many flights had to be canceled and thousands of travelers at Heathrow were affected. According to the British airline, these problems have now been resolved and flights are on schedule again.