End of Iris? [effective 17 September 2013]
Aug 5, 2011, 1:50 am
#181
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MAN/BHX
Programs: ABBA
Posts: 6,027
T5 yesterday morning, no e-passport gates open, long queues for manual gates, only one iris with about 5 people ahead of me.
Fortunately all 5 were registered and got through quickly.
I think it will stay for a while yet, noone has the money to decommission them, and they do (I assume), save money over the e-passport gates -- there's no attendants, and no dedicated fall-through person.
Fortunately all 5 were registered and got through quickly.
I think it will stay for a while yet, noone has the money to decommission them, and they do (I assume), save money over the e-passport gates -- there's no attendants, and no dedicated fall-through person.
Aug 5, 2011, 8:36 am
#182
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Mucci de la Cuisine Aérienne du Réseau Courte Durée de British Airways
Posts: 4,704
In T5, towards the left of Border Control, next to where us crew pass through, they have been building two new machines, for quite some time. In fact they have looked finished for a while now.
We have been wondering what these are and had assumed they were new Iris machines but they may be the new passport readers! So maybe they will open them up for use soon.
We have been wondering what these are and had assumed they were new Iris machines but they may be the new passport readers! So maybe they will open them up for use soon.
Aug 5, 2011, 8:48 am
#183
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Glasgow, UK
Programs: BA, UA, Marriot
Posts: 2,196
In T5, towards the left of Border Control, next to where us crew pass through, they have been building two new machines, for quite some time. In fact they have looked finished for a while now.
We have been wondering what these are and had assumed they were new Iris machines but they may be the new passport readers! So maybe they will open them up for use soon.
We have been wondering what these are and had assumed they were new Iris machines but they may be the new passport readers! So maybe they will open them up for use soon.
Aug 5, 2011, 8:55 am
#184
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Mucci de la Cuisine Aérienne du Réseau Courte Durée de British Airways
Posts: 4,704
Aug 5, 2011, 10:06 am
#185
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
I think I know the machines you are talking about. I don't think they are IRIS, so they could be additional ePassport gates.
Aug 5, 2011, 3:10 pm
#187
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BA Gold GUF Thai Airways Royal Orchid
Posts: 486
Got stuck last week in a queue behind a couple who were chancing their arm in the iRIS machines. It was obvious to all and sundry that they had not registered & lots of muttering ensued amounst the queue until the couple gave up & went back to the manual queue.
Cue response
Cue response
Aug 8, 2011, 5:38 am
#189
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,147
Aug 8, 2011, 5:52 am
#190
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SE1, London
Posts: 23,449
I had the same pleasant surprise last week. ePassport gates were off so the EU nationals queue was huge. UKBA needs a jolly good kick up the arse.
Aug 8, 2011, 6:38 am
#191
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 32
Notwithstanding the UKBA (in)ability to roster appropriate staff numbers at the booths, last time I was through T5 early morning I asked why the ePassport gates weren't open. Apparently they are operated by BAA, not the UKBA, and therefore only work when BAA staff are rostered and are closed for their teabreaks/lunch etc.
Aug 8, 2011, 8:23 am
#192
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Tonbridge
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 2,034
Welcome to FT, sad news indeed! However it is temporary - see next post.
Last edited by britbronco22; Aug 8, 2011 at 8:28 am
Aug 8, 2011, 8:26 am
#193
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Tonbridge
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 2,034
From the Home Office website
So not the apparently not the end!
Gatwick Airport's south terminal is being redeveloped, and work is about to begin in the arrivals area. This means that we must remove the IRIS barrier from the south terminal on 23 March 2011. At present we do not know when the IRIS barrier will be reinstated. We regret the inconvenience caused.
Aug 8, 2011, 9:09 am
#194
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: JER
Programs: BA Gold/OWE, several MUCCI, and assorted Pensions!
Posts: 32,147
Aug 15, 2011, 9:38 am
#195
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Tonbridge
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 2,034
I went to the IRIS office at T5 last night to update my registration for my new passport.
The registration staff asked me how often I used it and we had a bit of a chat.
One of them then mentioned that unforunately the IRIS barriers would be closing (at T5 at least), when the facial recognition barriers for non-EU citizens is complete.
These barriers are the ones at the left hand end of the arrival hall in T5, which as you may have noticed appear to be complete!
So sadly it sounds like IRIS will soon be gone in T5 at least. Glad I have a biometric passport now.
The other bad news for non-EU passport holders is that there will be a charge to use these barriers.
The registration staff asked me how often I used it and we had a bit of a chat.
One of them then mentioned that unforunately the IRIS barriers would be closing (at T5 at least), when the facial recognition barriers for non-EU citizens is complete.
These barriers are the ones at the left hand end of the arrival hall in T5, which as you may have noticed appear to be complete!
So sadly it sounds like IRIS will soon be gone in T5 at least. Glad I have a biometric passport now.
The other bad news for non-EU passport holders is that there will be a charge to use these barriers.