Airports to Trial ID Cards Scheme
Travel Industry News
A trial of the government's proposed national ID card scheme is set to take place in two UK airports from late 2009.
Manchester and London City airports have each signed up for the 18-month trial for staff.
Workers at both airports will carry biometric cards, which will contain fingerprint information.
However, employees are cynical of the scheme, questioning what additional benefits carrying the ID card will bring.
The government was hoping to have staff in every airport carrying the cards by Spring 2009.
The move to trial at just two airports is seen as a major step-down in their plans. Rumours of the ID card "retreat" have been denied by the Home Office.
A spokesman told the BBC: "We made it clear when we published the Delivery Plan in March 2008 that ID cards for critical workers would be 'starting in the second half of 2009' and we are on track to meet this commitment."
London mayor Boris Johnson recently announced he was considering looking at plans to create a new airport on an "artificially created island" on the Thames estuary.
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