Younger children will be able to use e-gates at UK airports

Children aged eight and nine returning to the UK from overseas will be able to use e-gates at airports and other re-entry points this summer, it is reported.

The Home Office announced the age limit will be lowered from 10 to eight from July 8, in time for the summer holiday season, said the BBC.

The children need to be at least 120cm (3ft 11in) tall so they can be seen by the biometric scanners and must be accompanied by an adult.

By lowering the minimum age, the government believes up to 1.5 million additional children will be able to use e-gates, added the reported.

Migration minister Mike Tapp said more families would “experience a swifter and smoother journey home...this summer holiday season”.

E-gates are designed to speed up passenger border checks through a digital passport scan.

Karen Dee, Chief executive of AirportsUK, the trade body for UK airports, told the BBC it was a “welcome development”.

“It will give more families the ability to take advantage of this technology, speeding up the border process and reducing waiting times for many,” she commented.

The e-gates are installed across 13 airports in the UK: Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Glasgow, Heathrow, London City, Luton, Manchester, Newcastle and Stansted.

They are also available in juxtaposed ports in Brussels and Paris.