I don’t agree with this plan. Putting aside the argument that Britain is heading towards a 1984 like society, the immediate problem is that the UK Government can’t be relied upon to secure its own data after last years loss of Child Benefit data.

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I think it is a dangerous move in the wrong direction, and done for entirely the wrong reasons.

You might think it is done for reasons of improving security. But that is not the case. The reason for collecting fingerprints of domestic travellers, is that BAA (the airport operator) and BA (the airline) decided they rather liked the idea of co-mingled domestic and international passengers. BAA couldn’t see past the $ signs of extra people to shop at the new mall called T5, and BA benefits from needing one less set of lounges.

I think it is a disgrace that 2 private companies can force such changes on their customers all to make a few quid. Especially when they then have the cheek to hide behind better security as the rationale.

Sorry for the rant.

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This already happens at my local airport where domestic and international travellers mix. The information is deleted after the flight departs and it is more likely that a private company will follow the law than the goverment.

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I think that this could be great, Depending on what its being used for.

As a form of ID its great. My husband and I travel extensively. If it made queues go faster – especially for the Non-European, hey, bring it on!

Anyway, some banks in South Africa are already implementing this technology – in fact my computer has this verification too.

For first world countries that are able to manage information well, this is great. But for third world countries, this poses a HUGE problem.

Already the standardisation for the bar codes on the passports exists. This is just an additional layer of security/info.

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I do not like this AT ALL.

Lost data nightmare. Where does the data protection act fit within all of this? I have just got back from a DP act seminar through work so my head is full of it.

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Christelle – your computer has it, because you want it, not because you are forced to.

UK will be the first one to fingerprint DOMESTIC passengers. How they (BAA) can talk about illegal immigrants if it is to deal with domestic traffic? How they can talk about criminals and terrorist, if they are not going to share info with police…

what a lots of…

TGT said it right, it’s all about money.

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I think people, me included, are really getting sick and tired of all these extreme security checks and can only drive us all to think twice before flying anywhere.That’s fine if we put security as paramount need to justify this. For money, NO!! Ferries, Eurotunnel and Eurostar can only benefit from all this.

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It could happen indeed. In the name of security If it is going to be the norm everyone should follow the rule. However, it will be still less stressful as you will have to worry about that and pretty much nothing else. You don’t have to worry about the liquids you carry with you, how many hand luggage you have, the weight, worries for any excess weight, and so on. And you don’t need to be there 2 hrs before you travel. You can turn up to Eurostar 45 mins before you travel and still have plenty of time to buy a magazine, have breakfast ang go through check in. Let’s remeber that travelling should be “stress free” and I don’t think airports are making this happening.

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[...] Travel Blogger Darren Cronian informs us in his Compulsory Fingerprinting to be introduced in UK Airports that soon to be opened Heathrow terminal 5 will have installed fingerprint taking machines and that [...]

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I think these kinds of security measures are just a way of the government and big business keeping closer track of the way that we spend out time and money.

The statistical risk of being the victim of any terrorist attack are much better than being run over by a car or crashing in a plane.

http://www.reason.com/news/show/36765.html

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Darren,

Been away for a few days. To answer your question of which airport already id’s passengers, it is Norwich, when you go pass security they photograph you. Then the private security company matches passengers to boarding pass. I would proberly trust a private company more than the goverment to keep my details safe.

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linda,am not in surport of introducing print at all,because there are several ways of identifying persengers why finger print,i believe is just a way of absracting people,s details into unknown hand which is not save for any any of the citizen,wether private or government,i guess they actuaclly doing it for self interest…..

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People please, let’s not put our heads in the sand ; Nick, the word private, means unregulated, unsecured, can do whatever they want with our information. Private firms are the worst to entrust your details with. What if a scrupulous staff was to steal the data and pass it on; do you think the firm will be made such loss puiblic like the governments recent debacles. It’s plain wrong to collect any information about the travelling public. Finger printing should be a tool used by our consulates abroad to protect us from unwanted visitor gaining visas and entering our country.

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Malesh

Unregulated… NO… they must hold a license, in fact 2. Secondly they can be fined or sent to prison for breaking these regulations. This has already happened. Plus if the government loses data what happened in the past, the person responsible has been paid off with full pension and benefits. So yes I trust a private company a lot more. In saying that, our data is out there, just look at junk mail, what banks hold about you etc.

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