London Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports are trialling the use of eGates for children aged 10 and 11 to facilitate busy half term travel.
Prior to this trial, Border Force eGates could only be used by children aged 12 and up, which can cause delays for families with younger children.
This week-long trial will allow more people to make use of ePassport gates and thus has the potential to reduce waiting times. If it is successful, the policy change may also be expanded to all UK airports later this year.
Heathrow Airport has announced that it welcomes this change, which is currently being trialled by Border Force in Terminal 5, to help deliver a more seamless airport journey.
Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye said:Heathrow is back to its best, with passenger satisfaction scores meeting or exceeding 2019 levels. We are giving a warm welcome to families over the half term getaway by delivering excellent service and bringing back the magic of travel.
