UK airports to roll out major change for all passport holders

• UK airport eGates are introducing contactless technology allowing arriving passengers to enter the country without scanning a physical passport.
• East Midlands Airport launched the facial recognition system on Tuesday ahead of a planned nationwide rollout by early 2027.
• The technology matches a facial image taken at the gate against official travel, passport and immigration records to automatically clear passengers.
• Government testing indicates that the new contactless setup is up to 25 per cent faster than standard eGate passport scanners.
• Border Force officials emphasised that the new system will make journeys smoother and faster while fully maintaining robust border security.

IN FULL

New technology will see UK passengers able to pass through airport gates without showing passports