THE completion of a new “E-gate” system at Edinburgh Airport marks another contract completed at airports by Pacific.
The £150,000 contract was to facilitate the installation of new electronic security system, that is designed to speed-up the immigration process.
It also involved full IT & Services installation and all-new laminate finished partitions to accommodate the new baggage roller beds.
Edinburgh is the first Scottish airport to install “E-gates”, which are intended to be used by UK and EU travellers with an e-Passport.
Details from an electronic chip contained in the e-Passport will be compared with an image of the passenger’s face taken at the-gate, replacing the traditional manual check by UK Border Agency officials.
The airport handles in excess of 10million passengers a year, and the “E-gates” will help ease congestion at “crunch points” – times when a number of flights arrive within a short space of time.
Pacific had to programme the works to minimise disruption in one of the most sensitive parts of the airport and in a live environment. Daily liaison meetings with airport management and security officials were key to ensuring that the works did not interfere with operational requirements.
Pacific drew on their huge experience as airport contractors to deliver the project on time and on budget. They have a permanent presence at Edinburgh Airport, and many of their team hold airside passes, which means they have the knowledge and understanding of procedures and protocols that allows them to operate safely in aircraft manoeuvring and other sensitive areas.