EU postpones full biometric rollout

la531983

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81899540#Comment_81899540

I thought it was common knowledge you had to queue up to use the booths each time? The only difference is on Visit 1 you get asked for everything and then on Visits 2-XXX (insert number of how many times you are visiting in a 2 year period) you are asked for less?

There certainly wont be a queue for Visit 1 people, a queue for Visit 2-XX people and a queue for EU nationals, that will be far too complicated and many airports wont be able to do it. There will be two queues.

TELLIT01

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81900178#Comment_81900178

I don't think any part of the system, and how it operates, is 'common knowledge' yet. The system is far too new for that to be the case. I would also suggest that the vast majority of Brits haven't yet travelled abroad since the start of rollout. In many locations it's only been activated in the past couple of months.

la531983

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81900205#Comment_81900205

Indeed. But I have not heard any story of any airport operating a "Visit 2-XX" queue. Every single one has two queues…

• EU nationals
• Everyone else, regardless of how many visits you have made to the EU

On subsequent visits you use the exact same booths you used the first time, however as already said the info asked for is less (no fingerprints, for an example)

So yes, you get in the same queue as everyone else if you dont have an EU passport. And use the booths.

In an ideal world the bigger airports would operate this theoretically quicker 3rd queue for people who have already done fingerprints, but sadly people are idiots when they step foot in an airport, so its easier to bundle them all together.

TELLIT01

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81900210#Comment_81900210

I'm not suggesting a 3 queue system but would have thought that once registered on the EES system it would just be a case of using the EU e-gates. Clearly not the case so the queues are only ever going to get worse in peak season every year. Brilliant system - not.

la531983

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81900320#Comment_81900320

A nice idea but asking for trouble because as already said, people are generally idiots when they go to airports. Much easier to separate people by passport type only, rather than adding in to the mix the criterion of "did you have your fingerprints done within the last 2 years", especially as people may have forgotten the date and people will get into the wrong queue.

fifeken

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81900210#Comment_81900210

Only one example, but in Frankfurt last week there were only two queues, however prior to the queues first timers were filtered off to do the registration bit. Seemed like a good idea.

user1977

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81900964#Comment_81900964

Yes was same at Alicante in November.

Doshwaster

I flew in Valencia yesterday. About half of the registration machines machines not working and people being directed to go through the manual passport checks.

Westin

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81902510#Comment_81902510

This seems to be the case in many EU entry points.

user1977

Madrid airport yesterday had a large proportion of machines not working, and no sensible queuing system (plus still a massive queue for the e-gates afterwards).