Eurostar has cancelled at least two trains and delayed several more after a technical issue with UK Border Force e-gates, according to a statement released on Thursday. The self-service barriers automatically read travellers’ passports, and passengers heading to London on the Eurostar must go through both French and British passport control before boarding the train. The delays, which affected services in both directions between Paris and London, forced Eurostar to advise customers to postpone journeys if possible. About 300 people were queueing for passport control at Gare du Nord in Paris as a result of the issue.
Hundreds of Eurostar passengers have had their journeys disrupted and have been left waiting at Paris stations. This has affected many travellers, including families with young children on their half-term break. Passengers heading to London have been experiencing cancellations or severe delays due to the problems with the e-gates. Eurostar’s decision to call on affected customers to exchange tickets at no extra cost or receive a full refund has done little to appease those hit by the delays.
Lizanne O’Connor, from Surrey, commented on the scene she witnessed at Gare du Nord, describing it as “slightly chaotic”. She added that further information would be helpful, and expressed her shock at the poor facilities provided for customers, as she, her children and grandparents were not offered any water despite waiting for some time. Kesha Hancock, from Hertfordshire, travelling with her husband and 10-year-old daughter, criticised the ordeal as a stressful end to the family’s holiday. She expressed her fear that problems could be related to Brexit.
In a statement, Eurostar vowed to resolve the issue as quickly as possible, to reduce the impact on its passengers. However, it stated that the company had already been forced to cancel two trains as a direct result of the delays. The ongoing problem has raised concerns about the effectiveness of similar automation in the UK: earlier this month, Border Force e-gates caused extensive delays at several UK airports, although the issue was fixed after four hours
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