Flights into Britain face delays after £372m passport IT system collapse

The UK airport chaos entered a second day due to a major incident1. The passport IT system collapsed nationwide, causing significant delays with E-gates in arrivals halls failing to open, leading to manual passport checks for each traveler.

Disgruntled passengers were left stranded in airports, waiting in long queues. Planes scheduled to fly into the UK were grounded.

Cause and Cost flights delays

The malfunction appears to be linked to the Border Force’s security database called ‘Border Crossing.’ ‘Border Crossing’ was introduced three years ago and cost taxpayers £372 million. It remains unclear whether the issue resulted from a cyber attack.

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Manual Passport Checks

With the IT system down, e-gates couldn’t function thus Border Force staff had to check passports manually against backup databases. Checks included verifying travelers’ names against terrorism records, the Police National Computer, and immigration records.

Impact

Chaos ensued at airports, with travelers crowded into small corridors. Staff handed out water to frustrated passengers. Ryanair flights were affected, with one held in Spain due to the gates disaster at Stansted Airport. The situation disrupted air travel and inconvenienced thousands of people.

In summary, the collapse of the passport IT system had significant repercussions, affecting both passengers and flights. The cause remains uncertain, but authorities are working to resolve the issue.🛫✈️