Travellers to the UK by air will be able to skip passport checks when using biometric gates in trials beginning this year, The Times reports. UK Border Force Director-General Phil Douglas says the new face biometrics system will reduce friction, compared with the previous system, which also uses facial recognition.
The new implementation is based on the way face biometrics have been deployed in places like Dubai and Australia, Douglas says. It will tie in with the UK’s incoming Electronic Travel authorization (ETA) scheme and provide faster passenger processing with enhanced security, officials say. Douglas also noted the system will be connected to immigration systems to prevent ineligible travellers from boarding.
Procurement and a full launch will follow the trials, assuming success. Eventually, 270 gates will be replaced at air and rail ports. Legacy passport desks are expected to mostly be replaced over the next two to three years.
The use of biometric e-gates in the UK has already expanded to nearly a dozen countries outside of the Europe Union, after originally launching for only travellers from the UK and EU. The system suffered a massive failure during a May 2023 long weekend, delaying numerous travellers for hours.
The ETA scheme is also expanding. In place now for travellers from Qatar, nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Jordan will be eligible starting in February. Eventually it will be extended to all arrivals to the country who do not require a visa for a short visit.
Meanwhile, Channel Tunnel operator Getlink is building a dedicated area at its Kent terminal to process the biometrics of automobile passengers, who will have to depart their vehicles, to align with the EU’s impending biometric Entry/Exit System. Trials and proposals for passport-free travel are a growing trend in international aviation.
