An experimental airport clearance system for frequent fliers is set to be replaced after its developers pulled the plug on the technology.

The Immigration Department is committed to the concept of allowing travellers to use a smart card to pass through Customs fast -- although it may not be with the current equipment.

Users of the IBM Fastgate System have complained that the machine often fails to work, leaving business travellers with no option but to clear Customs in the traditional fashion.

And now Chief Immigration Officer Martin Brewer has stated that the technology may continue to malfunction until a replacement can be found for it.

IBM, which originally chose Bermuda as a guinea pig for the system, has stopped developing the machines. However, Bermuda has been given ownership of the machines and is to set up a maintenance contract with a local company.

Mr. Brewer said: "Rather than withdraw the Fastgate test system from service, the Department of Immigration elected to keep it running for the convenience of the volunteers who use it about 400 times a month.

"If Fastgate cardholders are dissatisfied with it, they can choose not to use it.'' He added that whatever happened to the Fastgate System, the Department of Immigration would still be looking to use similar technology in order to speed up clearance.

"The Immigration officers at the airport all support the concept of an automated passenger clearance system,'' Mr. Brewer said. "There is no fear of officers being replaced by machines.'' And he noted that the system was made Y2K compliant by IBM, before the project was dropped.

"Fastgate is still a test system,'' Mr. Brewer stressed. "As such, it is not as stable as a fully functional system would be, and it does malfunction occasionally.''