From today (July 8), the age requirement for passport e-gates at major UK airports has been lowered from 10 to eight years old, allowing up to 1.5 million children to use the automated system. The change aims to reduce waiting times for families arriving in the UK, just ahead of the summer school holidays.
New age limit and eligibility
Children must be at least 3ft 11in tall (120cm) to use the e-gates, although it is not clear whether they will be measured prior to use. They must also be accompanied by an adult. The lowered age limit applies to passengers and their children who are nationals of the UK, EU, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, or the United States.
Airports and e-gate rollout
The changes are in effect at airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham, Manchester, and others. More than 290 e-gates in various UK and overseas travel hubs are involved. The Home Office stated that using e-gates takes just minutes and expanding access to younger children will speed up airport waiting times.
Official reactions
Karen Dee, Chief executive of Airports UK, the trade body for UK airports, said: 'This is a welcome development as it will give more families the ability to take advantage of this technology, speeding up the border process and reducing waiting times for many.' Minister for migration and citizenship, Mike Tapp, added: 'By expanding e-gate access, more families can experience a swifter and smoother journey home – freeing up precious time this summer holiday season.' He stressed it would also aid efforts to keep 'our borders safe and secure'.
Previous e-gate issues and summer travel concerns
While e-gates are typically efficient, they have faced problems in the past. In 2024, more than 270 e-gates failed at UK airports, causing lengthy delays as passengers had to be processed manually. Concerns around summer travel have also arisen from the jet fuel crisis triggered by the war on Iran. However, the British government is introducing legislation to prevent last-minute flight cancellations. The transport secretary has introduced new rules allowing airlines to cancel empty flights and adjust timetables to better use their fleets, as well as merge identical services on the same day. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) states that compensation for delays or cancellations must be given if they occur with less than 14 days' notice. A government spokesperson told Metro: 'If it’s less than 14 days, [passengers] are entitled to significant compensation, so there’s no incentive for [airlines] to cancel under 14 days.'
