Computer problem causes significant delays when arriving at airports

Bad timing for UK airports. On social networks, many travelers have complained of having to wait several hours before being able to pass immigration controls, in the middle of the long weekend. A computer glitch affecting the automated passport control system caused significant delays for travelers arriving on Saturday.

airports London From Heathrow and Gatwick raised a national issue affecting UK Border Police ‘e-gates’, which allow automatic passage of checks. “Our teams are working closely with Border Police to resolve the issue as quickly as possible,” Heathrow Airport said on its website, adding that additional queue management and attendance staff had been deployed to assist passengers.

Sequential problems

“We are aware of a national problem (…) affecting arrivals in the United States United kingdom said a spokeswoman Ministry British Interior. “We are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible and are working with operators and airlines to minimize inconvenience to passengers,” she added.

Long queues were reported on Saturday morning to board cross-Channel ferries in the port of Dover (southeast England) due to a computer problem at passport control at the French border. The port said this was “resolved”. Twitterand estimates between 30 and 45 minutes standby time in the middle of the day, as opposed to 90 minutes in the morning.

These disruptions come after the airline British Airways It had to cancel several flights – 175 according to Britain’s PA – between Thursday and Friday due to a technical problem.

20 minutes with AFP