IRIS Off at Birmigham and Manchester

[LondonPax]

From the BBC (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-17058448).

They will continue working at Heathrow and Gatwick until after the 2012 Olympics. Registration is suspended.

What's the problem with it? Surely anything that reduces the immigration queues is good. Right?

[Victor Inox]

I note that there is reference to "new technology" being available. Whilst I cannot comment on the IRIS scanners, I do have some fairly sobering experience with the "self service" lanes where you can have your micro-chipped passport automatically read. At least in theory.

Every time I've used one, the response is that my passport is unreadable. Yet when I proceed - by default - to a manned desk, it is immediately read. :ugh:

[farci]

When I travelled frequently enough through AMS I used to belong to the Privium programme (http://www.schiphol.nl/Travellers/AtSchiphol/Privium.htm) which is based on an Iris scan I believe.

That was working OK - is it still? If so, what's different about the UK system?