Heathrow Border controls enquiry increases Olympic queues risk
06.02.12
Efforts to clear immigration queues at Heathrow during the Olympics have been put at risk by an investigation into the turmoil in autumn at the UK Border Agency, the FT reports. BAA has spent £8m installing so-called ‘e-gates’ at all Heathrow terminals that would allow registered non-EU nationals to pass through the electronic immigration controls. But the plan cannot proceed until the border agency has taken final steps to get the system working, including having a database of travellers who are signed up to it.
The e-gates system is the successor to 'Iris', a popular programme running since 2005 that uses iris-scanning technology to speed registered non-European travellers through immigration. UKBA is phasing Iris out after deciding instead to rely on fingerprints and photographs rather than eye scans.
John Holland-Kaye, BAA’s commercial director, told the Financial Times: ‘We could be ready [in time for the Olympics] but this is entirely within the hands of government and what their strategy is is unclear.’ The newspaper adds that a decision is being delayed until the results of an inquiry into the relaxation of border controls at UK ports during last year's busy summer period. BAA said: ‘UKBA has been working to bring these new gates online but has paused this process while it completes internal investigations.'
For more information on this airport news story visit: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f5c44c0e-4e87-11e1-ada2-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1laSdtqKS
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