3M urges holidaymakers to queue bust at the airport

15 October 2008

Business travellers and holidaymakers are urged to make use of Stansted Airport's new facial recognition security gates, which use cutting-edge document scanning from 3M, the diversified technology company.

Passengers with new biometric passports travelling to the UK via Stansted can enjoy a seamless journey through the airport by using Autogates being trialled in the arrivals area, which can scan their face and check their passport photo in seconds – saving time on queuing.

The queue-busting Autogates installed at the airport use the latest 3M RTE8000 Full Page Scanner to validate any British or European ePassport with an electronic chip and are helping the UK Border Agency process passengers more efficiently.

A live image of the passenger standing at the gate is captured and biometric technology then compares this with the image stored on the chip embedded within the ePassport by measuring specific facial points – regardless of changes due to weight gain or loss, for example. If there is a match and they clear security, the automatic gates allow the traveller across the border.

A UK Border Agency spokesperson, said: "Britain's border security is amongst the toughest in the world. The new gates have been really well received by passengers. There's something quite exciting about using this space-age technology. This trial gives our officers an extra tool, freeing up officers tackling high risk issues.

"If you hold one of the new biometric passports, we are asking everyone to take advantage of these gates and reduce the time they spend at passport control. There is no need to register and all that is required is a biometric passport."

As one of the UK's busiest aviation hubs, Stansted Airport – which handles around 23 million passengers annually – will use the gates throughout the busy holiday season. The trial at Stansted is being run in partnership between the UK Border Agency and airport operator, BAA.

Neale Jouques, Stansted Airport's Head of Terminal, said: "We have invested heavily in the arrivals experience for our passengers and are pleased that the new facial recognition gates have been very well received by our passengers, with their feedback overwhelmingly positive. They provide an additional option at immigration control for those travelling with a biometric passport and help improve border security while also reducing queuing times for arriving passengers."

Following the trial, the UK Border Agency is expecting to roll-out Autogate systems to 10 additional UK airport terminals as part of the new £1.2 billion e-Borders system helping the UK Border Agency target terrorist suspects, known criminals and would-be illegal immigrants.

A 3M Rochford Thompson spokesperson said: "Since the beginning of the trial, more than 160,000 passengers have been able to pass quickly through the airport using the ePassport gates at Stansted. Ease of use and speed are the most important factors for the passenger but for border agencies, airports and airlines alike, read accuracy and data quality are just as vital. The RTE8000 scanner at the heart of the Autogate system is equipped with Active Video technology, so even if passengers fail to correctly orient their documents in the scanning window, an accurate read will still take place."

The RTE8000 scanner combines tried and tested OCR read technology with a full-page, lay-on scanner that is used by border and law enforcement agencies, including the US Department of Homeland Security.