Passengers heading through Edinburgh Airport are being warned of delays and disruption after e-gates stopped working.
Edinburgh Airport updated followers on Twitter, stating: "Arriving passengers should be aware of on ongoing issue with e-gates across UK airports.
"At Edinburgh we are working with UK Border Force colleagues to put contingencies in place while they work to rectify the issue. Thank you for your patience and understanding."
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They have also been replying to various tweets from passengers, updating them on wait times. They added that passengers departing from Edinburgh Airport would not need to be concerned, stating: "Arriving international passengers would be required to go through passport control, this is not required for departing passengers."
The passport control system is down across several airports in the UK, with the Home Office saying they can't say what the issue is as the matter is 'too sensitive'. Edinburgh Airport has said it is working on contingencies with Border Force, reports the Scottish Daily Express.
Glasgow International Airport has said they do not have any significant queues, though entry to the UK may take longer than usual. A spokesperson said that Border Force has additional staff in place to keep disruption to a minimum.
The issue affects all UK airports that use the gates, including Heathrow, Manchester and Gatwick. It began on Friday night. It means people flying in are having to get their passports checked by Border Force staff manually.
The Home Office said it was working to minimise disruption from the “nationwide border system issue.” The Immigration Services Union warned that queues would build quickly.
It is not known what the problem is with the border system, with a Home Office spokesman saying it was “too sensitive to say”. The e-gate system speeds up passport control by allowing some passengers to scan their own passports. It uses facial recognition to verify identity and captures the travellers image.
E-gates can be used by British citizens aged over 12 and those from the EU, as well as people from countries including Australia, Canada, the US, Japan and New Zealand. But all entry points retain manned security desks for other passengers and those unable to use e-gates.
A Home Office spokesperson said they were aware of a “nationwide border system issue affecting arrivals into the UK”.
“We are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible and are liaising with port operators and airlines to minimise disruption for travellers,” they said.
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