Passengers at several UK airports are facing delays and chaos due to a nationwide “technical outage” affecting e-gates at passport control. The issue has impacted travellers at major airports, including Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Edinburgh, and Manchester.
Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Edinburgh, and Manchester airports have all confirmed issues with passengers being processed through the border. The self-service e-gates, operated by the UK Border Force, allow travellers with biometric passports to pass through border control without manual inspection.
Footage on social media shows large queues of passengers waiting at passport control, with some experiencing hours-long delays.
A dedicated team and customer services staff are supporting passengers while the UK Border Force works to resolve the issue. The airport apologized for any inconvenience caused and thanked passengers for their patience.
Passengers reported long queues and system failures at arrivals due to the e-gate malfunction. Communication regarding the timeframe for resolution has been lacking. Chaos ensued as e-gates stopped working, resulting in lengthy queues. Passengers, including children, faced the disruption without access to water.
Travellers are already dealing with disrupted train services across the UK due to industrial action, and the e-gate outage adds further challenges for those commuting to and from airports.