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Airport Tests Passenger Eye Ids (Identities)

Heathrow Airport is testing a new hi-tech identity system which examines a passenger’s eye, rather than their passport as they go through immigration control. Heathrow is the first UK airport to carry out a large-scale trial of the iris recognition technology.

The aim is to speed up the movement of passengers through the terminal and detect illegal immigrants.

A total of 2, 000 passengers who frequently fly from North America to Heathrow on Virgin and British Airways flights are taking part in the five-month trial.

Each passenger will have an image of one of their eye’s iris stored on computer. Instead of showing their passport on arrival they will go into a kiosk where in seconds a camera will check that pattern of their iris matches computer records. If so a barrier will automatically open. The trial will test the technology and gauge passenger reaction.

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Customs Entry and Customs Procedure Codes

All imports and exports re declared via the single administrative documents or SAD. These may often be made on the official printed form, or via a plain paper version, either of which may be produced on a computer system, with Customs’ prior approval The SAD is potentially an eight-part document, but for almost all purposes only parts of the document are used. Increasing use of computers has meant the most forwarders use a direct link to the Customs’ computer known as CHIFF (Customs Handling Import Export Freight). This means that often goods can be cleared with the actual papers being handed in later to Customs. Of course, if special documents are required, or customs inspection is necessary, the computer holds clearance until the relative steps have been taken.

“Paperless” declarations are currently being considered, and may arrive in the future.

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Monk nabbed at airport trying to smuggle dead nun's skeleton out of Greece

A monk and two accomplices were busted Sunday trying to board a plane in Athens with the skull and bones of a dead nun in their luggage. The nun's skull was found wrapped in a cloth and stashed in the monk's bag, along with pieces of her skeleton. When questioned about why he had a skull and skeletal remains wrapped in cloth in his suitcase, the 42-year-old monk, who is from Cyprus, told police that he was transferring the remains from Greece to a monastery in Cyprus because the nun was a saint.

The Cypriot Orthodox church, though, showed little faith in the monk's story, saying the attempted smuggling was sacrilegious. " It appears to be the work of charlatans with a financial interest, that is what I suspect, " Cyprus' Archbishop Chrysostomos II told Reuters.

by Philip Caulfield
DAILY NEWS

January 19th 2011

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