Goodbye to passports in the UK
Thread Starter
Goodbye to passports in the UK
Times front page says LHR and LGW are aiming to have total facial recognition technology throughout starting this summer - no need to show passports or boarding cards
BA reckon it will halve boarding times for passengers through the airport
BA reckon it will halve boarding times for passengers through the airport
N4790P
Dream on. Neither airport can handle even basic e passports well.
More seriously I'd guess that the idea is to robot-match your face to your picture ID ?
I think the headline might be a tad missleading since AFAIK at some point in the process at the airport you will still need to present your passport for scanning..
On the one occasion in the last few months I went through these gates at T5 outbound on a non-domestic service the gate staff checked passports as we stood in the queue. Whilst that might simply have been due to it being part of the trial process I rather suspect BA will continue to require a physical check or scan on the day at some point since for a fairly obvious reason - they certainly will not want folks arriving at a non-domestic destination without a valid travel document.....
On the one occasion in the last few months I went through these gates at T5 outbound on a non-domestic service the gate staff checked passports as we stood in the queue. Whilst that might simply have been due to it being part of the trial process I rather suspect BA will continue to require a physical check or scan on the day at some point since for a fairly obvious reason - they certainly will not want folks arriving at a non-domestic destination without a valid travel document.....
Last edited by wiggy; 27th Apr 2019 at 14:43.
The plan is simply to replicate outbound what is currently done inbound at the ePassport gates - to attempt to match your mugshot as captured by the camera with the photo encoded on your passport chip. So yes, the first thing you will have to do when departing is scan your passport.
I expect mine will work as rarely as it currently does, although a nice Border Force chap at Gare du Nord recently showed me an interesting technique that I'll try in future to improve my chances.
I expect mine will work as rarely as it currently does, although a nice Border Force chap at Gare du Nord recently showed me an interesting technique that I'll try in future to improve my chances.
FWIW I see the relevant and as usual highly researched piece in today's Daily Mail 
states:
"Those travelling from Heathrow are required to show their passports at least three times on departure..... on check-in or bag drop, security and before boarding the plane."
Not sure quite how they worked that one out...usually through T5 it's just once, at the gate, if you've checked in on-line and are hand baggage only , or twice if you need to check-in at the airport (at check-in and again at the gate).
I've never had to present a passport at LHR "security", ever.
states:"Those travelling from Heathrow are required to show their passports at least three times on departure..... on check-in or bag drop, security and before boarding the plane."
Not sure quite how they worked that one out...usually through T5 it's just once, at the gate, if you've checked in on-line and are hand baggage only , or twice if you need to check-in at the airport (at check-in and again at the gate).
I've never had to present a passport at LHR "security", ever.
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They can't have 100% compliance with this as for any international flights they will need to make sure people have the correct visas or other supporting paperwork. For anyone who checked in online without a bag this is done at the gate, which is the first place they will see staff.
Also will the machines know how to judge passport validity and be programmed to know the rules of entry for destination counties? If not then they will have to still have manual checks for a lot of passengers.
As with all technology it won't improve waiting times either because you'll always get large numbers of peoplep who can't deal with automation. You only need to look at Egates at immigration to see many examples of those who can't seem to hold it as instructed and end up causing a delay for everyone else behind them .
Also will the machines know how to judge passport validity and be programmed to know the rules of entry for destination counties? If not then they will have to still have manual checks for a lot of passengers.
As with all technology it won't improve waiting times either because you'll always get large numbers of peoplep who can't deal with automation. You only need to look at Egates at immigration to see many examples of those who can't seem to hold it as instructed and end up causing a delay for everyone else behind them .
The actual Press Release that is the source of the articles over the last day or two is probably this one.:
British Airways - TRAVEL OF THE FUTURE? IT'S HAPPENING NOW, WITH 250,000 BRITISH AIRWAYS CUSTOMERS USING BIOMETRIC TECHNOLOGY ON INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS
As you can see Passports still required....
British Airways - TRAVEL OF THE FUTURE? IT'S HAPPENING NOW, WITH 250,000 BRITISH AIRWAYS CUSTOMERS USING BIOMETRIC TECHNOLOGY ON INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS
As you can see Passports still required....
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Some countries now issue electronic visas. They do not appear in your physical passport at all yet when checking in online or via a booth at the airport the computer knows and lets you proceed seamlessly. The passport check at the gate merely checks the passport and boarding pass names are the same, nothing else.
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Some countries now issue electronic visas. They do not appear in your physical passport at all yet when checking in online or via a booth at the airport the computer knows and lets you proceed seamlessly. The passport check at the gate merely checks the passport and boarding pass names are the same, nothing else.
I myself have had to show proof of evisa status countless times on various airlines for a range of countries at the check in desk or gate.
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Have an Australian eVisa since they came into being. NEVER has anyone question the fact it is not in the passport. Not even ever been asked to show evidence of having an eVisa, booking, online check-in, counter check-in, bag drop or at the gate.
The very first time I used it I came armed with every bit of info possible from letters of grant, 24 hour phone numbers to call etc if questioned but never required. A seamless process.
The very first time I used it I came armed with every bit of info possible from letters of grant, 24 hour phone numbers to call etc if questioned but never required. A seamless process.
Like any new technology I suspect there will be teething troubles but in a few years we'll take it for granted.
