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Airport delays: Latest from Heathrow and Gatwick as e-passport gates fail on Bank Holiday Saturday

UK: British Airways System Outage Sparks Chaos At Heathrow Airport

Passengers are dealing with journey chaos as digital passport gates have gone down throughout UK airports.

The subject is more likely to trigger lengthy delays at passport controls for financial institution vacation vacationers flying into the nation as all airports that use the gates are affected.

The Home Office has confirmed the information after the system went down on Friday evening – however didn’t say how lengthy the fault would final.

One passenger has described scenes at Edinburgh Airport as a “shambles”, reporting a queue of over 300 folks at passport management on Friday evening.

Another spoke of “total chaos” at Gatwick Airport’s passport management, with “queues of over an hour” attributable to the downing of the digital passport gates.

A Home Office spokesperson mentioned: “We are conscious of a nationwide border system subject affecting arrivals into the UK.

“We are working to resolve the problem as quickly as doable and are liaising with port operators and airways to minimise disruption for travellers.”

This comes after 1000’s of individuals confronted having their financial institution vacation plans plunged into chaos, as British Airways was pressured to cancel scores of flights on Thursday and Friday following an IT failure.

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Failures with passport e-gate methods at UK airports trigger prolonged delays

Failures with the passport e-gate system at UK airports have precipitated lengthy delays for these arriving within the nation as the financial institution vacation getaway will get beneath approach.

Travellers have described on social media queues of a number of hours at plenty of airports together with Heathrow and Gatwick as arrivals have to have their passports checked by hand relatively than the automated machines.

The issues got here as hundreds of thousands are anticipated to take to the roads and public transport this weekend.

One traveller arriving at Heathrow posted on Twitter: “Just landed to scenes of utter chaos. 2 hour queues just to get to the real queue. Gates broken.”

Another passenger at Gatwick described the scenario as an “utter joke”.

Passengers queue at Gatwick Airport as digital passport gates fail throughout the UK

(Getty Images)

Joe Middleton27 May 2023 18:29

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e-gates at Heathrow again up and working

Joe Middleton27 May 2023 20:56

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Pictured: Queues at UK airports after failure at passport e-gate methods

Passengers queue at Gatwick Airport as digital passport gates fail throughout the UK on May 27, 2023

(Getty Images)

People queue at arrivals at Heathrow airport in London, Saturday, May 27, 2023

(AP)

Joe Middleton27 May 2023 20:30

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How many vehicles will take to the roads over the May financial institution vacation weekend?

The RAC estimated that drivers throughout the UK will embark on 19.2 million leisure automotive journeys between Friday and Monday making it the busiest late May financial institution vacation since 2019.

Transport information firm Inrix warned that journeys on some stretches of the M25 will take as much as thrice longer than regular.

They embody clockwise from Junction 23 for Hatfield to Junction 28 for Chelmsford, and anticlockwise in direction of the Dartford Crossing.

Long delays are additionally anticipated on the M5 in Somerset and the M6 in Cheshire and Greater Manchester.

Joe Middleton27 May 2023 20:00

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Long delays at Gatwick Airport passport management after nationwide outage of e-Passport gates

Long delays at Gatwick Airport passport management after nationwide outage of e-Passport gates

Joe Middleton27 May 2023 19:30

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What have airports mentioned in regards to the prolonged delays?

A Gatwick Airport spokesperson mentioned the issue began on Friday night however queues had eased on Saturday morning.

He mentioned: “Some passengers could expertise delays at immigration resulting from a nationwide subject with UK Border Force e-gates.

“Our employees are working with UK Border Force – who function passport management together with the e-gates – to supply help to passengers the place mandatory.”

Heathrow Airport posted on Twitter: “We are conscious of a nationwide subject impacting the eGates, that are operated by Border Force.

“This subject is impacting plenty of ports of entry and is just not Heathrow particular.

“Our groups are working carefully with Border Force to assist resolve the issue as shortly as doable and we’ve further colleagues on hand to handle queues and present passenger welfare. We apologise for any impression that is having to passenger journeys.”

Joe Middleton27 May 2023 19:00

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Travel chaos comes forward of strikes affecting Gatwick Express

The journey chaos at airports throughout the UK, together with Gatwick, comes forward of strike motion affecting the Gatwick Express over the upcoming week.

There will probably be no Gatwick Express trains on 31 May and 3 June, whereas an amended timetable will probably be in place on 1 June and a restricted service on 2 June.

Tara Cobham27 May 2023 17:47

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Queues seen at Gatwick Airport

Passengers queue at Gatwick Airport as digital passport gates fail throughout the UK

(Getty Images)

Tara Cobham27 May 2023 17:09

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‘Scenes of utter chaos’

One traveller arriving at Heathrow reported “scenes of utter chaos”, whereas one other described the scenario at Gatwick as an “utter joke”.

A passenger posted on Twitter: “Just landed to scenes of utter chaos. 2 hour queues just to get to the real queue. Gates broken.”

While one other described the scenario at Gatwick as an “utter joke”.

Tara Cobham27 May 2023 16:28

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Passenger says passport management was ‘unbelievable’ and ‘stiflingly sizzling’

“Unbelievable” and “stiflingly hot” is how a passenger has described their expertise at passport management at Gatwick Airport within the early hours of Saturday morning.

Chris O’Hara added: “Welcome to modern Britain.”

He wrote on social media: “2am, Gatwick North Terminal passport management. Unbelievable. Welcome to fashionable Britain.

“And after all, the aircon is shut down, so it is stiflingly sizzling.”

“Unbelievable” and “stiflingly hot” is how a passenger has described their expertise at passport management at Gatwick Airport within the early hours of Saturday morning

(Chris O’Hara)

Passengers are dealing with journey chaos as digital passport gates have gone down throughout UK airports

(Chris O’Hara)

Tara Cobham27 May 2023 15:47

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