East Midlands Airport became the first UK hub to activate contactless eGates this week, allowing eligible travellers to clear the border without presenting a physical passport. The pilot marks the start of a nationwide upgrade that will cover Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and nine other airports by early 2027. How it works Using facial comparison technology, the gate captures a live image and matches it against immigration, travel and passport data held on Border Force systems. If no red flags appear, the barrier opens automatically. Passengers must still carry a passport but will only present it if additional checks are triggered. Eligibility Phase 1 is limited to British and Irish citizens. Phase 2 (from mid-2027) will extend to nationals eligible for the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), making the scheme highly relevant for business visitors from visa-waiver countries. Benefits and risks Border Force says trials show a 25 % time saving, potentially easing chronic queue-length problems at peak times. Privacy advocates have raised concerns about biometric data retention; the Home Office insists images are deleted within 24 hours unless linked to an enforcement action. For corporate travellers Mobility managers should brief staff on the new process, particularly the need to remove hats and glasses and the importance of carrying a physical passport in case of fallback checks.
Source: Euronews
