Olympic athlete priority to cause longer queues at Heathrow

News at Heathrow 09/01/2012

Safest ever decade for US airlines : 2012 : Heathrow reports busiest December on record

Heathrow officials have said that longer immigration queues are likely during the upcoming London Olympics.

The UK Border Agency said in a statement issued last week that a significant portion of its immigration staff at the UK’s biggest airport would be temporarily assigned to special athlete VIP lanes during and ahead of the event, which could lead to larger backups at normal entry points. The temporary change is expected to cost some £2 million.

Athletes, their family members and coaches have been asked to supply UK immigration with biometric data such as fingerprints and photos in advance in order to speed up the entry process, the agency has said. However, those that do not must still undergo normal screening.

Biometric information is used at border checkpoints to screen for criminals and terror suspects in an electronic database.

The news follows Heathrow’s previous announcement that it would be setting up and operating an ‘athletes only’ terminal at Heathrow for a 24-hour period following the Olympic closing ceremony in the effort of reducing delays

Colin Matthews, chief executive of the BAA, Heathrow’s operating firm, said that the upcoming challenges of the Olympic Games would be the airport’s greatest yet and added that Heathrow would be the first and last impression of London for thousands of Olympians and spectators.

Safest ever decade for US airlines : 2012 : Heathrow reports busiest December on record

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