East Midlands Airport will be the first UK airport to introduce a major change to the way people get through security. From October 6, eGates at UK airports will gradually switch to the new contactless technology, with every eGate set to be upgraded by early 2027.
How the new system works
Under the new system, passengers will approach an eGate and have their photo taken. The system checks this live image against verified immigration, travel and passport information, and then the eGate opens automatically once these checks are complete.
The technology was successfully trialled for three weeks at Manchester Airport in October last year, The Times reports. According to the Home Office, passengers typically passed through the gates faster and had a better experience.
Phased rollout across UK airports
The phased rollout will start at East Midlands Airport, initially for British citizens, before it is expanded to more airports and other nationalities already eligible for eGates over the coming months. All eGates, which are in operation at Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Glasgow, Heathrow, London City, Luton, Manchester, Newcastle and Stansted airports, will have the upgraded system by early next year.
The Government has stressed that passengers will still need to travel with their passport, as they will need it to check in and board the plane.
Official reactions
Phil Douglas, Director General of Border Force, said: "This is a win for travellers coming to our brilliant country. By using state-of-the-art technology, we are making journeys smoother and faster, all while fully maintaining the UK’s robust border security."
"Our digital transformation also builds on our work this summer to extend eGates to children aged eight and above, making life a little easier for families."
Karen Dee, chief executive of AirportsUK, the trade body for UK airports, said: "This will be excellent news for the passenger and demonstrates how UK airports continue to be at the forefront of new technologies to keep our borders safe, while improving the travelling experience."
"It is vital that we have the fast, efficient borders that arrivals into the UK now expect, and we will work closely with our members and government officials to ensure a smooth rollout."
Steve Griffiths, Managing Director of East Midlands Airport, said: "We’re delighted to be the first UK airport to have contactless eGates introduced by Border Force. As an airport committed to providing an effortless travel experience, we welcome any technological innovation that can help to safely make our customers’ journeys smoother, swifter and simpler."
Chris Wilson, Head of Terminal & Capacity Planning at Birmingham Airport, said: "We’re pleased to be one of the first airports in the UK to introduce UK Border Force’s contactless eGates. Working closely with our industry partners and government agencies, we have actively supported the rollout of the new UK Border Force system here at Birmingham Airport."
