U.K. and Ireland - PIA aircrew warned over shoplifting in Manchester

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have met PIA officials to discuss increasing levels of shoplifting by aircrew on stopover. See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-17860816

An email from Supt Stuart Ellison to PIA, which was subsequently leaked to the Pakistani press, said: "Some stores are regularly detaining cabin crew for shoplifting offences. Goods of a relatively low value have been stolen.

"Hotels where the airline crews have stayed have also reported items such as towels, kettles, gowns and glasses being taken."

Haha
Oh well.
Happens everywhere... No matter what peoples professions :(
Glad they're not turning a blind eye to this matter!

Oh no. Very bad. :(

Simple answer to this - prosecute them. If there is enough evidence to find them guilty then they should have their British visas revoked along with whatever other sentence the courts hand down. We have enough home grown domestic shoplifters without needing to have PIA aircrew adding to the statistics.

If they started arresting airline crew for shoplifting, Air Zimbabwe would have shut down years ago!

Airline crew have shoplifted with impunity in the UK for decades now because they are never prosecuted. Go ask any shopkeeper in Hounslow or Crawley and you'll hear stories that make you cry. PIA crew no doubt know this and they take advantage of it.

If they started arresting airline crew for shoplifting, Air Zimbabwe would have shut down years ago!

Airline crew have shoplifted with impunity in the UK for decades now because they are never prosecuted. Go ask any shopkeeper in Hounslow or Crawley and you'll hear stories that make you cry. PIA crew no doubt know this and they take advantage of it.

Terrible :td:

Given that, as I understand, non-EU aircrew don't require formal Leave to Enter into the UK, and as such don't require visas as such, can they still be excluded on the basis of committing crime?

Absolutely disgusting

Given that, as I understand, non-EU aircrew don't require formal Leave to Enter into the UK, and as such don't require visas as such, can they still be excluded on the basis of committing crime?

They can be excluded, yes. Does this ever happen? Not to my knowledge.

Conversely, I have personal knowledge of multiple aircrew who had UK police records for crimes ranging from shoplifting to prostitution to drug smuggling who continued to operate flights to the UK after the fact.

Some (but not all) were denied UK visas due to the criminal records, but as you note, were able to enter the UK under a Section 7 exemption.

They can be excluded, yes. Does this ever happen? Not to my knowledge.

Conversely, I have personal knowledge of multiple aircrew who had UK police records for crimes ranging from shoplifting to prostitution to drug smuggling who continued to operate flights to the UK after the fact.

Some (but not all) were denied UK visas due to the criminal records, but as you note, were able to enter the UK under a Section 7 exemption.

Interesting insight, as ever, B747-437B - many thanks! :)

This set me thinking and I have put in a Freedom of Information Act request for information regarding the number of non-EU aircrew refused such an exemption/clearance in 2011. If anyone is interested in the results when I get them PM me and I'll be happy to provide details.

Interestingly, MAN immigration officers have been ordered to switch off ePassport gates around the times flights from Pakistan arrive due to alleged unreliability and the gates allowing people through despite presenting someone else's passport.

Interestingly, MAN immigration officers have been ordered to switch off ePassport gates around the times flights from Pakistan arrive due to alleged unreliability and the gates allowing people through despite presenting someone else's passport.

Regardless of the reason there is already certainly a situation where staff are turning off eGates at times of high demand.

I have a complaint currently being investigated by UKBA regarding why gates were turned off discretionally by staff at time of excessive queus at another airport.

wow there is no stopping the PIA or its crews.

First they bankrupt the airline itself, destroy whatever reputation it used to have decades ago, now they go after Manchester airport.

They are known to steal even the PIA amenity kits and other things which the airline used to give its revenue pax.

Too many employees compared to the few planes they have, too. Wonder how they are still allowed to fly to UK with shady safety records

For those that may be interested, I yesterday received the following reply to my freedom of information request. Cannot say the response instills a massive amount of confidence in UKBA:

We have carried out a thorough search and we have established that the Home Office does not hold the information which you have requested. The caseworking database in use by the Border Agency and Border Force does record information on persons refused entry to the United Kingdom; but does not record data on those who initially wished to avail themselves of the facility provided by Section 8 of the Immigration Act 1971. Moreover, no information is recorded by the Home Office at all regarding the number of crew in total who arrive in the United Kingdom and avail themselves of the facility provided by Section 8 of the Immigration Act 1971.

Wonder how they are still allowed to fly to UK with shady safety records
As I recall, they are only allowed to fly 777s to the EU and the US; all other types of planes have been banned (and were many years ago).

Cannot say the response instills a massive amount of confidence in UKBA

True story - I have traveled to the UK and back without my passport. Well, I thought I had it but I actually picked up my airside driving permit (which is the same colour) and put it into my bag. It was only after I got back home 3 days later that I saw the passport sitting on my coffee table. I am now more careful!

In the (n+1) times I have entered and exited the UK as a crew-member, I have never once been even asked to show my passport, let alone have its details checked. Crew ID, yes, but never the passport. This is not uncommon though, to be fair.

True story - I have traveled to the UK and back without my passport. Well, I thought I had it but I actually picked up my airside driving permit (which is the same colour) and put it into my bag. It was only after I got back home 3 days later that I saw the passport sitting on my coffee table. I am now more careful!

In the (n+1) times I have entered and exited the UK as a crew-member, I have never once been even asked to show my passport, let alone have its details checked. Crew ID, yes, but never the passport. This is not uncommon though, to be fair.

Hmmm...interesting :)

Would you say the UK is unique in this respect of is this quite commonplace? For instance, I'm sure in the North American airports I have cleared immigration/customs in (e.g. YUL/YYZ/PHL) there have been separate crew lines where aircrew have been required to complete formalities in a similar manner to other pax.

Would you say the UK is unique in this respect of is this quite commonplace? For instance, I'm sure in the North American airports I have cleared immigration/customs in (e.g. YUL/YYZ/PHL) there have been separate crew lines where aircrew have been required to complete formalities in a similar manner to other pax.

North America is an exception rather than the rule with the formalities. But lack of checks for air crew is definitely not uncommon around the world.

In the Schengen states, entering in Germany will invariably get your passport checked (and sometimes even stamped) but entering in France will have you struggle to find an immigration officer who even cares you are there.

In the (n+1) times I have entered and exited the UK as a crew-member, I have never once been even asked to show my passport, let alone have its details checked. Crew ID, yes, but never the passport.

I will correct this statement. I can't believe this one rather memorable occasion (http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/airline-cabin-crew-member-charged-with-smuggling-cocaine-6759334.html) slipped my mind. :D