UK airports report delays as IT failure shuts e-gates

Travelers arriving at U.K. airports faced delays Friday after electronic passport gates failed, forcing passengers to wait in line for border officers to inspect their documents.

London Heathrow, Manchester and Edinburgh airports all reported that a technology failure disrupted gates that allow passengers with biometric passports to quickly pass through border controls without speaking to immigration officers.

"We're aware of a systems failure impacting the e-gates, which are staffed and operated by Border Force,'' Heathrow said in a statement. "Our teams are working with Border Force to find a solution as quickly as possible."

Documentary filmmaker Louis Theroux posted an image of long lines at Heathrow.

"Human logjam at Heathrow—apparently all the e gates at all the airports are down?'' he wrote on Twitter.

© 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.