Families are being reminded of a major change to one rule across more than a dozen UK airports this summer. By next week, July 8, a security rule will be relaxed for certain primary school-aged children.
Back in May, the UK Government confirmed the news that up to 1.5 million more children will soon be able to use UK eGates, speeding up journeys for them and their families this summer. Children aged eight and nine years, who are at least 120cm (3ft 11in) tall and accompanied by an adult, will become eligible under the new plans announced that come into effect from Wednesday, July 8.
Officials claim that the change to the age limit will help families returning from their holidays with young children. The government claims that using an eGate typically takes just minutes.
With more people using eGates, it is expected that queue times for those going through passport control will also reduce. Before July 8, you could normally use eGates if you were aged 10 and above, but children under 17 had to (and still must be) accompanied by an adult).
People are eligible to pass through an eGate if they have a biometric symbol on the cover of their passport and are either:
- a British citizen
- a national of an EU country, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland or the USA
- a member of the Registered Traveller Service
Minister for Migration and Citizenship, Mike Tapp said: “Travel with young children can be stressful for parents. By expanding eGate access, more families can experience a swifter and smoother journey home – freeing up precious time this summer holiday season. We are delivering continued improvement to the passenger experience, while keeping our borders safe and secure.”
Border Force Director General, Phil Douglas said: “eGates are an essential part of keeping our border secure. Expanding access for families will deliver safe, smooth journeys whilst freeing up highly-skilled officers to focus on intercepting those who pose a threat to the UK.”
Karen Dee, Chief executive of AirportsUK, the trade body for UK airports, said: “This is a welcome development as it will give more families the ability to take advantage of this technology, speeding up the border process and reducing waiting times for many. Airports work very hard with border authorities to ensure the UK’s front door is both secure and welcoming, with those coming home and visiting enjoying a smooth experience.”
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
