Sky news reporting today about lowering the age for using e-gates (not e-bikes!..) at UK airports.
Whilst that is good news, I do wander why EU nationals are allowed to use our e-gates when visiting the UK, yet when we visit the EU we have to stand in long queues to have our passports stamped, fingerprinted etc.
I know; another Brexit benefit.Â
https://news.sky.com/story/children-as-young-as-eight-allowed-to-use-e-gates-at-uk-airports-13543879
??
Ive used E gates in Europe.Â
EES enables egates. First time through you need to get your face and fingers scanned
Because people in the EU have probably travelled to other European countries before and we haven't yet.
I had my EES stuff done in Oslo in April, and then went to Dubrovnik last weekend. They wouldn't let anyone use the E-Gates in dubrovnik, but they made us queue up next to them.....
EES is not a brexit thing as we were never in the Shengen Zone anyway.
I've used egates in Portugal and it was a piece of cake.
Just back from Portugal and wasn't able to use the e-gates unfortunately.
I've recently done a few trips and every single time have had to wait in line, get asked various questions, give fingerprints and have photo taken.
This last time I asked about it to the gentleman, as I had thought that it was to be done a first time and then it would be quicker, with the possibility of using the e-gates. He told me that unfortunately as a UK passport holder, even though it is also a biometric passport, we have to go through this process every time.
A shame, as the e-gate system is really good and much quicker.
Ah well, thanks Brexit (again).
EES is not a brexit thing as we were never in the Shengen Zone anyway.
This confused me and I had to look it up. Ireland isn't Schengen, but because it's EU Irish passport holders don't need to do EES. So even though it is a Schengen thing, it's extended as an EU benefit to non-Schengers. As Simon Calder puts it, an Irish passport is a superpower as it gives you easy access to the UK through the Common Trade Area, and Schengen through the EU.Â
As with zedsdead above, I've had 4 trips to Europe this year, to different countries and each time I have had to wait in a queue to give fingerprints, have passport scanned and stamped. They weren't interested that I (and the people I was travelling with) have already done the fingerprinting etc.Â
The signs at all 4 airport clearly direct non EU citizens away from the e-gates, towards the big queues for non EU passports.Â
I don't have a problem with that, I'm just curious why an agreement was made where we can't use EU e gates, but EU citizens can use ours?
EES is not a brexit thing as we were never in the Shengen Zone anyway.
This confused me and I had to look it up. Ireland isn't Schengen, but because it's EU Irish passport holders don't need to do EES. So even though it is a Schengen thing, it's extended as an EU benefit to non-Schengers. As Simon Calder puts it, an Irish passport is a superpower as it gives you easy access to the UK through the Common Trade Area, and Schengen through the EU.Â
Ah ok. I'm happy to bash brexit so will go with that as another negative then!!
