Another type of fast-track

Travellers face £5 charge to get through passport control faster! Charges of up to £17.50 at UK airports to jump immigration queues could be rolled out nationwide, a new report suggests. 

English newspaper The Guardian reports today thst travellers are to be charged to get through passport checks quickly at British airports, with some paying as much as £17.50, the Home Office has confirmed.

The charge is an attempt to cut queues, but unions called it a gimmick and accused the government of failing to properly fund border controls.Officials said they were working with some airport operators to introduce the scheme but denied reports in the People newspaper that it will be introduced in every UK airport with a charge of at least £5 per person.

The Home Office said its Border Force was “working closely with several airport operators to introduce a fast track passport control service, which will provide passengers with another choice of a secure and convenient route through the UK border”. 

This is an attempt to find financial solutions to meet the increasing volumes of passangers, without creating longer queues at our borders. 

I am personally not sure that it is a good idea. I am a keen supporter of diversifying flows at our borders, but I want the queues to be divided based on risk and compliance – not payment. 

Having said that we need to acknowledge that there is a real existing challenge here.

You can read the entire article here: The Guardian: Travellers face charge

Source: The Guardian