Thousands of travellers hit by ‘technical issue’ with e-gate passport checkpoints
There are reports of staff shortages and problems with e-gate passport checkpoints across the UK as travellers have taken to social media to air their frustrations, with some saying they had waited hours to take off.
Other travellers said several of the automatic e-gates, staffed by Border Force and used to process passengers, were not operating properly.
The Home Office confirmed there had been a “technical issue” with the checkpoints which has since been resolved, and said the problem had not caused queues to exceed the “standard length” at Heathrow.
But a Heathrow spokesperson said: “Due to high passenger volumes and the Covid documentation checks still required by many end destinations, Terminal 2 departures has experienced some congestion today.
“Our teams are supporting our airline partners to get passengers away on their journeys as quickly as possible and we apologise for any inconvenience this has caused.”
Heathrow Airport
Manchester Airport has experienced similar problems in recent weeks as it has struggled to cope with delays due to increased traveller numbers amid staff shortages.
Some travellers landing also voiced complaints about extensive waits in the baggage reclaim halls.
A spokesman for Manchester Airport said passengers were being advised that “security queues may be longer than usual” and urged to arrive early for their flight.
“We apologise to passengers whose experience at Manchester Airport has fallen short of the standards they expected.
“As we recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, our whole industry is facing staff shortages and recruitment challenges.”
They added: “We are aware similar challenges are being faced by airlines and third parties, such as baggage handling agents, operating on our site.”