[OPebble]

It all depends on the speed of the connection to “back home”. If it is a standard dial up line that will take at least 10 secs; if it is a leased line or a ADSL connection then a lot lot quicker!

[terrymcmanus]

Used the Iris “Scam”? on my last 3-4 arrivals at T 3 and worked OK…agree it needs a bit of attention ,input and updating but things like this take time over “ere…..its all down to the..old . if it aint broke mentality..init

[alistairNicoll]

Once again a brilliant idea ruing by the incompetance of the UK government and civil service.

[mpwheatley]

I was in Gatwick North Shopping Mall, sorry Terminal last Thursday morning after a transatlantic flight and I walked up to the IRIS barrier for the very first time (being all cocky and smug, walking past everyone else queuing) and what greets me? A rusty metal crash barrier placed across the front of the IRIS entrance with an A4 piece of paper sellotaped up apologising for IRIS being out of action. It just looked so… typically British. Along with the duct tape holding the carpet together and the missing ceiling tiles new arrivals to the UK must be so impressed. I then had to sheepishly backtrack and then join the end of a now very long regular queue, which of course was the slowest moving one, as usual. Can you imagine this level of amateurish shabbyness in any other first world country?

[GoonerLondon]

The main thing about Iris is incompetent users. The idea is to keep adjusting your distance back and forth as you lean in – not wait for the voice to say ‘please move back a little’ again and again.

I think you should get no more than a minute to get through otherwise be ejected and have to use your passport.

Honestly, its not difficult!

[Munkyboi]

My experience is that the system only works 50% of the time. Returning to T5 for the first time on Monday , and it wasnt working there. Fortunately the queues were quite short and they did put some more staff on as the pax arrived, which was both good and unexpected!
I think if IRIS isnt working then there should be an express queue for registered IRIS users. (Assuming the computer equipment displays this information).

PS luggage arrived VERY quickly at T5, I was impressed.

[terrymcmanus]

Arriving back from Thailand again a few weeks ago I went through “Iris” and it worked fine.
Unfortunately on departure a few weeks earlier I intended to get my wife signed up but althgough T3 Departures was very busy 18-30pm the registration office (RHS after Immigration) was shut.

Great idea but. not if you cant………

[teribaby]

I used Iris on August 24th, and was in and out in less that 20 seconds at Gatwick Airport. With a US passport i was cleared faster than the UK passport holders.
Maybe we all need to follow directions more and be less negative.

[d1rector]

Iris machines are poor kit (I am told) and go down far too often. My complaints to the very understanding immigration officers (the immigration service is responsible for the system) have always met with the response: We tell’em. But nothing is done. All you can do – the best solution – is to write to your MP.

[AlanReynolds1]

I have just been through Iris at Gatwick. Noticed a slight improvement in that arrows now point more clearly to which window the traveller should look at. So if you are short in height, it reminds you to look at lower window. What is missing, I feel, is a reminder that you should try to match your eye-balls with the image on the screen. I feel that the system has the potential to do away with all these bits of paper in the form of passports and national identity cards which the S Times showed could be forged quite quickly

[Henryp1]

Just to say back from DXB last week into T3 at LHR and Iris was open, no queue and worked first time, fortunately have never had a problem.

[Straun61]

Can anyone tell me if any airline flys DIRECT from Geneva to Toulouse in France? The websites of Toulouse and Geneva airports both claim that a direct journey is possible. However when trying to book a non-stop flight from Geneva to Toulouse, it is a different story. No direct flights are available at all and the airports in questions would have me believe that it is more convenient to fly from Geneva to Gatwick, loiter for a few hours and then fly to Toulouse.

Being a world weary traveller for some twenty five years and realising that Toulouse is not some parochial backwater, (AirBus staff must have to fly in there from somewhere), I find it difficult to understand the lack of direct flights to this location especially from airlines such as Air France.

Thus, thanks to the lack of direct flights from Geneva to Toulouse, in order to reach the latter, I will be forced to spend some hours in some of the following:

a) Gatwick
b) Orly
c) Nice
d) Brussels

It is no wonder that the trains are doing better these days.

[VintageKrug]

You need to start a new “thread” by pushing the “new topic” button if you want to ask a question about flying between toulouse and geneva.

I have the answer for you, but you will have to start a new thread, and I will post it there.

back on topic, IRIS was out of action at T1 Arrivals on Monday morning, but no queue at the manually operated gate.

You must remember that the UK Passport Agency unionised employee base have no incentive to popularise or keep active the IRIS gates; they have the potential to take all their jobs away!

having said that Monday was the first time in 12 inbounds in the past three months I have not been able to use it.

[RussShaw]

Does anyone know what’s happening with Iris at LHR? I have been through T1, T2, and T3 during the past four weeks, and all the machines in each terminal have been shut with not explanation. I have also written to the government. I know that the machines are not always reliable, but it seems like there is a much more serious problem…

[CBaker2]

My husband and I used Iris at T5 on 22nd Sep. There was no queue and he gor through instantly, I had to have a couple of tries before it worked but our total time was about 2 mins which was definitely quicker than waiting for our passports to be checked.

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