IRIS Scanning Machine
Discussion
I've just seen this article http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/02/17/iris_scann... saying the IRIS scanners may well be scrapped which I think is a real shame because this has worked incredibly well for me over the last 4 or 5 years and have made my transition though several UK airports many times a lot easier than it should have been.
Oh well - I guess I'll just have to queue like everyone else now
Oh well - I guess I'll just have to queue like everyone else now
Agreed, never had any problem and seem to have a far faster passenger throughput rate than those useless face recognition e-passport reader things that still need an operator to make the decision most of the time.
Couple that with UKBA apologising in advance for long queues at airports as they cannot cope with high volume at end of half terms.
Couple that with UKBA apologising in advance for long queues at airports as they cannot cope with high volume at end of half terms.
I was always so surprised at how lax they were at getting people to enrol for the IRIS program.
For me, I would have had people shepherded out of security into the rooms to enrol.
I remember enrolling - you had to go and hunt out a little room somewhere (literally 4mx3m) with a tiny symbol above the door (at least it was like a secret club
) and there was no queue and all the staff moaned about not being busy.
Oh well - shame really as I thought it worked really well...
For me, I would have had people shepherded out of security into the rooms to enrol.
I remember enrolling - you had to go and hunt out a little room somewhere (literally 4mx3m) with a tiny symbol above the door (at least it was like a secret club
) and there was no queue and all the staff moaned about not being busy.Oh well - shame really as I thought it worked really well...
F i F said:
Agreed, never had any problem and seem to have a far faster passenger throughput rate than those useless face recognition e-passport reader things that still need an operator to make the decision most of the time.
Couple that with UKBA apologising in advance for long queues at airports as they cannot cope with high volume at end of half terms.
Couple that with UKBA apologising in advance for long queues at airports as they cannot cope with high volume at end of half terms.
In my experience, the e-passport face recognition things have been a complete waste - 3 attempts, 3 hopeless failures. I can only assume the things get flummoxed by my stunning rugged good looks
. I'd have been better off each time in the English snake (oh for Spanish passport control in Blighty).Surely iris scanning can't be any worse?
The Moose said:
DukeDickson said:
Surely iris scanning can't be any worse?
It's not exactly hard - just open your eyes and look where the f
king thing tells you too!To be honest, the amount of people I've seen struggling with this, it doesn't surprise me so many people have accidents on our roads
Give me Alicante all day, every day
DukeDickson said:
Thing is, I suppose you could say the same about the e-thing. You send a normal photo off, comically expensive machine converts it into some grainy mush (which you'd assume equally expensive machine at other end could cope with), yet when you actually drop your passport where told and snuggle into the murderer footmarks, latter machine thinks you're ether Bernard Pitt or Brad Manning, rather than good old John Doe.
Give me Alicante all day, every day
Can't comment on Alicante but the rest is pretty much spot on.Give me Alicante all day, every day
Problem with the IRIS machines has been downtime as far as I can see. Too often only one operating, couple that with the people who can't read and join the wrong queue.
But the NL system at Schiphol works superbly, never a queue so why can't UKBA get their act together?
F i F said:
Can't comment on Alicante but the rest is pretty much spot on.
IIRC, every time bar one that I've been through there, it has miraculously coincided with the invisible man's shift (when they were there, they were having a Spanish 'discusssion'. Either that or they've spent the equivalent cash on a smart booth, as opposed to a combination of some rob you blind 'technology' or some fetching bollards and crowd director thingies. Anyhow, as a complete aside, there's a bloke in Brisbane (notoriously cold place) in a full on chicken suit
Has the man never heard of the painful compromise that is Bernie Clifton?Back on topic(ish), at least it isn't Merkin entry.
F i F said:
yep that took a bizarre twist. Too much Rioja? I guess the point is if you fly into Spain, there's usually nil hassle (rightly or wrongly). Land in the UK & you have a choice of long queue (with pathetic questions at the end of it), e-passport which really doesn't work (at least for me - seriously hopeless in the 3 times I tried last year), or an option which possibly doesn't work and is publicised with the same vim that Sir James or Sir Cliff's recreational habits are.
I'd happily go for the iris option, if it works, but Manchester chose to ditch.
got the Spanish bit, it was the Brisbane, chicken suit, Bernie Clifton and merkins that caused a bit of a stumble.
Also off topic, anyone seen the Sunday evening TV offering The Hotel, fly on the wall about a Torquay hotel. The manager is a ringer for Bernie Clifton, also an arse to boot. Must be genetic.
Also off topic, anyone seen the Sunday evening TV offering The Hotel, fly on the wall about a Torquay hotel. The manager is a ringer for Bernie Clifton, also an arse to boot. Must be genetic.
F i F said:
got the Spanish bit, it was the Brisbane, chicken suit, Bernie Clifton and merkins that caused a bit of a stumble.
.
Sorry, was a genuine aside. Watching the Crims vs the Munchers ODI while trying to feel tired and a bloke (couldn't really be anything else) cropped up in a chicken costume equivalent of a gimp suit - on a Brissy summers' day .
. At least opting for a Bernie fancy dress would allow leg chill, sort of, and an opportunity to quaff Aussie piss. This one really did look stupidly restrictive in the conditions!I'll work out the Merkins bit in a mo
The Moose said:
DukeDickson said:
Surely iris scanning can't be any worse?
It's not exactly hard - just open your eyes and look where the fking thing tells you too!To be honest, the amount of people I've seen struggling with this, it doesn't surprise me so many people have accidents on our roads
I stopped using them when they stopped the policy of sending you straight to the front of the regular queue if your scan failed (meaning that even if you had been fleet of foot getting to immigration, by the time the scanner released you, most of the 747/777 was now in front of you).
Yep, anyone know what happens if the e-reader useless slow piece of garbage rejcts you? I've never had a full flat out failure, it always seems to have three tries , fails, and then lets you through. Have always assumed it's operator intervention.
But while it's having three attempts with me the normal bod has let two, three or more through.
Isn't it nice how our taxes are spent.
But while it's having three attempts with me the normal bod has let two, three or more through.
Isn't it nice how our taxes are spent.
Wife and I have had biometric passports for several years. I never have had any problems anywhere with the equipment, get straight through. She, on the other hand, always gets stopped and frequently gets through only after a real person does the personal process for her. Maybe she has another life I need to find out about....?
R.
R.
Never managed to register for the iris scanning as they don't open early enough for our usual flight out of the country.
Last time I returned, used the biometric channel (usually can't as Mrs still has an old passport without biometric: have to go for the main UK/Euro queue) - absolute breeze, was through is seconds, then had to wait for ages for the baggage!
Last time I returned, used the biometric channel (usually can't as Mrs still has an old passport without biometric: have to go for the main UK/Euro queue) - absolute breeze, was through is seconds, then had to wait for ages for the baggage!
llewop said:
Never managed to register for the iris scanning as they don't open early enough for our usual flight out of the country.
Last time I returned, used the biometric channel (usually can't as Mrs still has an old passport without biometric: have to go for the main UK/Euro queue) - absolute breeze, was through is seconds, then had to wait for ages for the baggage!
That's always the problem at Heathrow. It's all well and fine having systems to get through immigration quickly but then you wait 40 minutes to get your luggage. Last time I returned, used the biometric channel (usually can't as Mrs still has an old passport without biometric: have to go for the main UK/Euro queue) - absolute breeze, was through is seconds, then had to wait for ages for the baggage!
It's a shame iris scanning is going, I never had a problem with it and thought it was great when you had hand baggage only.
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