e gates - get though passport control quickly

Loanranger

They often use the E gates at East Mids airport but not all the time. I use them whenever they're open but you do have to judge the length of the queue as sometimes it's faster to go through the regular gates.
My view is that the E gates need a lot more tweaking.
It's a bit like the self service in supermarkets, in theory it's great but in reality the system isn't perfect.

johnmcga

As others have said, these e-gates can often be slower than going through the staffed desks, even though the queue appears shorter.

The machines are quite slow anyway, and it only takes a couple of people to have trouble working them for the line to grind to a halt. I tend not to use them now.

JDC14

I've used them a few times and had nothing but problems (not myself, but others).

Gatwick, used an ounce of common sense and station a member of staff there, to help with issues. Unfortunately, they mostly spend their time shouting at people to use them and then shouting to make sure everyone is 18 and has the correct passport, and minimal time actually helping people to use the gates when there is an issue.

Faro - Won't even get into that, but the whole thing is a shambles.

Barcelona - I didn't see them, but they had quite a few staff, dealing with not too many passengers so got through there quickly.

Although, when I flew back in from Barcelona a few months back, it was perfect, got through the gates in about 15 minutes despite the queue backing up to just outside the actual Passport Control Hall. (South Terminal).

C_Mababejive

I dont want my iris photographed

getmore4less

C_Mababejive wrote: »

I dont want my iris photographed

The system uses facial recognition technology to compare your face to the photograph recorded on the 'chip' in your passport

jetsetterjoe

Used them many times hassle-free.

Though if for any reason you don't pass the face recognition step in the process (I've seen this happen *many* times), you'll have to go through the 'normal' process.

Does anyone have any experience of failing the face recognition?

callum9999

Everyone I've seen fail the process (at Gatwick and Heathrow) have been put in the front of the main queue. I don't quite get why people are saying they had to go to the back?

The queue has always been far shorter (for me) at the e-gates as well (as measured by keeping an eye how far someone in the other queue is moving - last time being Terry Wogan!).

jfdi

Came back through Gatwick in October - decided to queue with hubbie who's not yet got a chip passport & we were out in the 'corridor' - not even got as far as the barriers yet.

I eyeballed the last guy in the e-line & kept an eye on him the 45 mins we were there.

He'd only got half way & we were through. Result!

No idea why they're so bad - the one's in Funchal are far more efficient.

katejo

i have used them a couple of times (both Gatwick) and it was much quicker for me. The queue was shorter than the one for people without chip passports.

choc_mouse

callum9999 wrote: »

Everyone I've seen fail the process (at Gatwick and Heathrow) have been put in the front of the main queue. I don't quite get why people are saying they had to go to the back?

I concur. Mine "failed" once at Heathrow and I just went out the back, then to the side and forwards, and there's a dedicated desk with one/two immigration officers that watches all the people going through the 3+ e-gates. He said I looked exactly like my photo!

In the early days the e-gates were empty, and I was always though immigration in 30 seconds. Recently, I've had to queue 15+ minutes at peak times. They should put up more e-gates.