Gatwick e-gates
Jun 17, 2017, 5:01 pm
#16
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 469
Well, I don't have any source of information besides hearsay regarding these gates, but I have observed a single UKBF agent assigned to the gates tapping away on her phone, while people were still being allowed through.
This was at LGW. I was waiting for my wife and it was taking much longer than usual with several people stuck inside the gates, but not yet being rejected and told to see the human officer. Then, the UKBF agent looked up at her screen and started pressing some buttons, which was followed by gates opening.
If it was fully manual, then when only a single agent is assigned there, they should never be looking away from the screen unless the gates are empty.
This was at LGW. I was waiting for my wife and it was taking much longer than usual with several people stuck inside the gates, but not yet being rejected and told to see the human officer. Then, the UKBF agent looked up at her screen and started pressing some buttons, which was followed by gates opening.
If it was fully manual, then when only a single agent is assigned there, they should never be looking away from the screen unless the gates are empty.
I don't think we can just blame the UK government though. I pass through SYD a lot and it's a lottery. One time the gates were sending EVERYONE to the human, this morning the camera didn't even move so appeared to match a photo of my waist and then let me through!
