Fri, May 25, 2012, 05:45 BST - UK Markets open in 2 hrs 15 mins

Discover Yahoo! With Your Friends

Explore news, videos, and much more based on what your friends are reading and watching. Publish your own activity and retain full control.

To get started, first

YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Two UK Airports Axe Eye-Scanner Systems

    By (c) Sky News 2012 | Sky News – Fri, Feb 17, 2012 09:59 GMT

    Companies:

    RELATED QUOTES

    SymbolPriceChange
    0010.KL0.170.01

    High (Euronext: HCO.NX - news) -tech eye scanners have been scrapped at two UK airports and closed to anyone who has not already registered, the Border Agency (UKBA) has revealed.

    Designed to reduce the time taken for passengers to enter the country, the Iris Recognition Immigration System's (Iris (Kuala Lumpur: 0010.KL - news) ) future is under review after being axed at both Manchester (Frankfurt: A0ETDJ - news) and Birmingham airports.

    The system has been criticised for adding to delays rather than cutting queues and has been closed to all new applicants since last year.

    It will remain open for registered passengers travelling through terminals, 1, 3, 4 and 5 at Heathrow Airport and Gatwick North until after the Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer, the UKBA said.

    A UKBA spokesman said: "With electronic passport gates now operating at 15 of the country's busiest airport terminals and available to millions of biometric passport holders, Iris is just one of the options for travellers to securely enter the UK.

    "We are currently reviewing the long-term future of Iris."

    On its website, the UK Border Agency (UKBA) added: "Iris is no longer available at Birmingham and Manchester airports.

    "Registration for Iris is no longer available. All of our enrolment rooms at Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester airports are closed until further notice."

    The Iris scheme was criticised five years ago when an official report on trials of the technology showed it had failed half of its assessments.

     

    5 comments

    • lewis
      lewis  •  3 months ago
      The scanners must have offended someones religion.
    • Micky
      Micky  •  Sheffield, England  •  3 months ago
      personally i dont trust such systems, i think in the future they will be shown to damage your health.
    • johnathan
      johnathan  •  Manchester, England  •  3 months ago
      Stupid concept if you have to 'enrol'. I regularly use the electronic passpaort reader booths and they're excellent, easy to use, actually work, fast, and in case of any probs there's apermamnent member of staff on hand, like at the self-checkouts at supermarkets.
    • Stephen Barlow
      Stephen Barlow  •  Manchester, England  •  3 months ago
      Why not just stop muslims coming to britain ? no need for security then
      • Zed Man
        Zed Man 3 months ago
        and stop the muslim arab oil coming into britain too..that's fair..
      • Grant
        Grant 3 months ago
        Your comments are not politically correct, but.....having had to queue behind many different people form many different cultures because B'ham airport's IRIS systems are no longer working is a right pain in the arse after a long day travelling....there is no need for it.
        If they do this then they need to prioritise UK citizens over and above EVERYONE else in line, as is the case in the USA.
        It isn't a race thing, it's because we pay Custom's salaries and are UK residents, end of!
    • Grant
      Grant  •  Edinburgh, Scotland  •  3 months ago
      IRIS recog at airports is brilliant! Soooo annoying it is being phased out here! Had to queue for 20 minutes behind a plane full of non UK residents the other day, so the theory about IRIS causing delays is utter #$%$ Bring this in for everyone and if their don't know how to use it, pull them out of the IRIS lane and take away the privilege! So irritating as the system is superb and always works well for me!
     Post a comment