Using The 'eye' Identification At Airports

[Jennykenny]

I have a relatively new passport with the 'eye' mark on the cover of my passport.
Has anyone used it, does it work properly and is it quicker?

Going into Gatwick.

[Prudie]

Yes used it more than once. I've not noticed it being any different from the old style queue wise, about 50-50 split between the 2, not at Gatwick anyway, it's always packed!

[rockyracoon]

I recently went to Cologne where other half convinced me to go through this 'easy' channel. I was reluctant as the queue for normal passport control was relatively short. Well, the barstard thing didn't work so I had to join a now enormous queue to go through. When we got back to Stansted a woman tried to force me down this route again, so I told her that my passport didn't work and went through the usual channel. There was about 10 people in front of me as opposed to 300 odd in the 'easy' channel.

[douglas9401]

I've only used it at Edinburgh. Hit or a miss but does make us all look very modrin.

[Gizmonster]

I take it you're referring to the e-passport, with the biometric symbol on the front??
We flew into Manchester on Fri and went through the electronic gates. It takes a while for the reader to read your passport, plus you have your face scanned. In my opinion it's no quicker then the old way .... plus I noticed that some people's passports were not scanned correctly and they had to either scan them again, or go and join the queue for non e-passports.

[Jennykenny]

Rocky, that's exactly what I thought would happen.

In a similar situation.
Got 'helped' out of the queue in Santander Bank yesterday -"Oh, just phone here". Spent a useless five minutes on the phone to then get back into the normal queue, which now had five people in front of me instead of the previous two. Arrrgghhh!!

[CrapAtCryptics]

Its facial recognition now - i signed up early for the retinal scan and, while it was in use, sailed past most of the unscanned on several occasions. Dont know why they stopped using it.

[Buenchico]

I've used it a couple of times at Stansted and found it vastly quicker - even though the machine didn't like the look of me one either occasion!

i.e. there have been queues of 20 to 30 minutes at the 'old' gates. I've tried my passport in the new system, with no queues at all, had it rejected and gone straight to gate for people whom the system apparently regards as 'dodgy', again with no queue at all, and been straight through in a flash.

[ubasses]

Use Luton the most, always assess the queue when I arrive and opt for the shortest of the 2. No problems when I have used the machine.

[SlackAlice]

No problems for me, except for one occasion when I forgot to take my glasses off.

[New Judge]

Used them twice at Gatwick and will not be doing so again (unless there is no alternative). Basically, they don't work at all well and on the two occasions I used them "intervention" was needed by a human being for about 50% of the customers (including me twice). I made a point of seeing where I would have been in the conventional queue and both times it would have been consierably quicker had I joined it instead. They're bit like supermarket self service tills - fine provided there is somebody standing by to sort out all the problems. I once bought tin of paint in B&Q using their contraptions. Should have been about a fiver. My bill presented was for £28.99 (for a wheelbarrow).

[malagabob]

Have used them at Bristol, sometimes no hold up then on other occasions with travelers in front who enter passports in every conceivable position. Closed picture wrong way round.

[Peter Pedant]

Giz I am amazed you got thro manchester without taking your clothes off in frustration ....

there was a rash ( ?) of it a year or so ago !

[jno]

Depends entirely on how many people are in the two queues; make your mind up on the spot. Best take off your glasses for the scanner, though they insist you don't have to.