Arrived back into LHR T5 yesterday and after enduring a 1 hour wait for the eGates (all EU pax were being sent to eGates only) I then got the dreaded "seek assistance" and had an additional 1 hour 30 mins wait for an officer. Meanwhile my partner was sat in the Costa in arrivals for an hour and half waiting for me as they went through the eGates all OK. All very frustrating.

I've travelled upwards of 30 times on this passport and it's never worked at the Heathrow eGates. I always ask the officer why and they say there is nothing wrong at their end and I must have "put it in wrong". It was issued in 2016 and has one of those very thin and flimsy photo pages. Up until now I've not really been that bothered but with the increased wait times due to COVID-19 does anyone have any suggestions? Can I ask the passport office to replace it? Bizarrely, it's always worked in the eGates I've used in other countries (and I have global entry in the US and it's always worked for that too).