UK airports trial new passport gate rules for children this half-term

15 February 2023 , 16:17

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The trial is taking place at three airports this week (Image: Alamy Stock Photo)

Families with young children are speeding through airports this week during a trial of expanded e-Gate use.

Throughout half term, kids aged 10 and 11 can use e-gates Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, potentially slashing waiting times to get back into the country.

If the trial is successful, it could be expanded to all airports in the coming months.

The system is controlled by Border Force - a department of the Home Office - and whether it becomes a permanent change is down to the organisation.

Airport bosses are understood to welcome the move as it will speed up passenger movement through the travel hubs.

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Have you taken a ten or 11 year-old through the e-gates this week? Email [email protected]

All UK airports could be taken part in the initiative from this summer (Getty Images)

Under current rules, passengers aged under 12 are banned from using the gates, forcing families to queue for passport booths.

During the severe disruption caused by staffing shortages which affected UK airports last year, many groups with children found themselves caught up in big queues.

E-gates use facial recognition technology to check passengers' identities against the photo in their passport.

If your passport is up to date enough, then you should be able to get through the airport much quicker than if you have to wait for someone to check the document manually.

Border Force director-general Phil Douglas, speaking at the annual conference of the Airport Operators Association in central London, said one of the reasons for the trials is to ensure it does not increase the risk of child smuggling.

He said: "Part of the reason why we don't allow children to use the e-gates is technological - because children's faces change.

The move could speed up airports for families (Getty Images/Hero Images)

"But there's a balance to be struck between helping families not to queue and making sure our safeguarding processes work."

Asked when the policy could be rolled out across UK airports, he replied: "My aspiration would be to have it in place for the summer but that depends on how the trials go.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper, speaking at the same event, said: "We have to be comfortable that the technology works for that age cohort

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"But if those trials are successful I'm sure ministers will want to make sure that we have as smooth and seamless a progress into the country as possible."

He added that the primary responsibility of the Home Secretary is to maintain security, but it is also making sure that "we have the best possible passenger experience".

Milo Boyd