Airline passengers are to undergo facial scans at a British airport for the first time.

In a trial set for this summer, hi-tech gates will scan travellers' faces and compare the image with their biometric passport.

Border security officials behind the scheme claim it will transform passengers' experience of airport security and help ease congestion.

They are convinced that the scanners are more reliable and better at preventing ID fraud than humans checking paperwork.

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But critics have attacked the plan, which they claim is based on 'laughable, unproven technology' that could cause innocent passengers even further delays.

There is also concern that travellers may react badly to being rejected at an automated gate.

The plan will initially only apply to British and EU citizins carrying new biometric passports.

While it is not yet known how many airports will take part, if the pilot scheme is a success the technology will be rolled out nationwide.

One potential problem is that the technology will err on the side of caution of 'false negatives' - innocent passengers who are not cleared because the machines cannot recognise them.

They may, instead, be sent to another queue or staff may be authorised to override the gates.

Full article here.