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Air and sea travel problems ease after IT fault Air and sea travel problems ease after IT fault
(about 3 hours later)
Airports and sea ports are returning to normal following an IT glitch which caused long delays for passengers.Airports and sea ports are returning to normal following an IT glitch which caused long delays for passengers.
The fault on UK Border Force computers, which began on Wednesday, disrupted airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Birmingham with ports such as Dover and Southampton also affected.The fault on UK Border Force computers, which began on Wednesday, disrupted airports including Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Birmingham with ports such as Dover and Southampton also affected.
The Home Office apologised and said engineers had been working "through the night" on the issue.The Home Office apologised and said engineers had been working "through the night" on the issue.
Gatwick and Heathrow airports said it was "business as usual" by Thursday.Gatwick and Heathrow airports said it was "business as usual" by Thursday.
On Thursday morning, Immigration Minister James Brokenshire said: "The current situation is much improved and we are doing our best to keep waiting times to a minimum during this morning's busy period. Immigration minister James Brokenshire said: "Our engineers have been working through the night to fix the temporary IT problems and all ports are now functioning normally.
"We apologise for any delays but security must remain our priority at all times." "We apologise for the delays that some passengers experienced at passport controls yesterday, but security must remain our priority at all times.
A spokesman for Gatwick Airport told BBC News that the queues had reduced overnight, that its IT systems were "back up and running" and it was "business as usual" for passengers. "I visited Heathrow early this morning and have asked technical staff to continue to look into the incident to ensure lessons are learnt."
A spokesman for Gatwick Airport told BBC News that the queues had reduced overnight, its IT systems were "back up and running" and it was "business as usual" for passengers.
Officials at Heathrow confirmed there were no queues at their terminals on Thursday morning.Officials at Heathrow confirmed there were no queues at their terminals on Thursday morning.
The glitch meant that UK Border Force staff were forced to manually input passport details for those arriving in the UK rather than simply scanning documents. The glitch meant UK Border Force staff were forced to manually input passport details for those arriving in the UK rather than simply scanning documents.
The delays had a particular impact on non-EU passengers, and extra Border Force staff were called in to try to reduce the queuing time.The delays had a particular impact on non-EU passengers, and extra Border Force staff were called in to try to reduce the queuing time.
The BBC's Sarah Falkland said delays of up to 90 minutes befell passengers on Wednesday evening, while the queuing time at Gatwick was even longer.The BBC's Sarah Falkland said delays of up to 90 minutes befell passengers on Wednesday evening, while the queuing time at Gatwick was even longer.
She said the problem affected both self-service e-Passport gates - which operate by running a facial recognition check against a traveller's passport - and manned customs desks. She said the problem affected both self-service e-Passport gates - which operate by running a facial recognition check against a traveller's passport - and staffed customs desks.
At London Luton Airport, passenger Simon Kalman, 57, of Golders Green, London, told BBC News he had been queuing alongside about 2,000 other people, and had waited for almost two hours. At London Luton Airport, passenger Simon Kalman, 57, of Golders Green, north London, told BBC News he had been queuing alongside about 2,000 other people, and had waited for almost two hours.
Mr Kalman, who arrived at the airport at 22:45 BST on Wednesday after flying in from Barcelona, said: "It was a total mess, there was limited water available and people were getting very frustrated." Mr Kalman, who arrived at the airport at 22:45 BST on Wednesday after flying from Barcelona, said: "It was a total mess, there was limited water available and people were getting very frustrated."
Christian Walton said the immigration hall had been "packed" at Heathrow airport after his flight from Zurich landed on at 19:50 BST on Wednesday. Christian Walton said the immigration hall had been "packed" at Heathrow airport after his flight from Zurich landed at 19:50 BST on Wednesday.
He said: "Nobody could tell us how long the wait would be. It took about 20 minutes for somebody to start handing out water, but only after people complained.He said: "Nobody could tell us how long the wait would be. It took about 20 minutes for somebody to start handing out water, but only after people complained.
"People were joking a bit, generally well-behaved and resigned to a long wait, typically British. "People were joking a bit, generally well-behaved and resigned to a long wait, typically British. Border agency staff were professional, friendly and helpful but clearly struggling with failed computers."
"Border agency staff were professional, friendly and helpful but clearly struggling with failed computers."
Are you at a UK airport or do you know someone who has been affected by the delays? Do you have any information you would be willing to share with the BBC? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with the subject line "Travel disruption".Are you at a UK airport or do you know someone who has been affected by the delays? Do you have any information you would be willing to share with the BBC? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with the subject line "Travel disruption".