Air flyers travelling to the UK are facing long delays as electronic gates across UK airports are down. The Home Office has confirmed the news but did not say how long the fault would last.
The UK Home Office said, “We are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible and are liaising with port operators and airlines to minimize disruption for travellers,”.
Travelers posted photos of long lines at airports around the country as all incoming passengers were forced to use manned passport desks, instead of the automatic gates equipped with electronic passport scanners.
The e-gate system speeds up passport control by allowing some passengers to scan their own passports.The system uses facial recognition to verify a traveller’s identity as they pass through the gates.
Earlier this week, British Airways was also hit by IT issues, affecting more than 20,000 passengers at Heathrow. In the UK, the e-gates are used by British citizens aged over 12 and those from the EU, Australia, Canada, the US, Japan, and other countries.
Travellers leaving the UK via the Port of Dover also faced issues after the French passport system failed earlier this morning.
