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Bizarre and painful new passport restrictions in T5 for hand-baggage travellers

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Bizarre and painful new passport restrictions in T5 for hand-baggage travellers

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Old Sep 11, 2013, 11:48 am
  #46  
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I can see missed flights and queues and all sorts of problems. Why not just go back to ordinary desk check in whilst we are about it?

I would not wish to be in a hurry at T5 if you have to go through this nonsense.
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Old Sep 11, 2013, 11:51 am
  #47  
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Originally Posted by BahrainLad
Why are the countries all EU + EEA etc. (Switzerland, Gibraltar and Turkey?)

This all smells rather fishy as it's clearly not blanket.
Are there any shorthaul countries served from T5 that are not EEA/EU members?
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Old Sep 11, 2013, 12:12 pm
  #48  
 
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This all does seem a bit bonkers, but for once things seem to work better for those of us not originating in London We'll board on our domestic ticket at the outstation and then be airside in T5 when we land so no chance to go to a machine and get a flimsy. I must say though that on my last flight (EDI-LHR-MAD), the EDI lounge ladies quickly checked my passport upon lounge entry (as they could see the linked sector) so pretty painless.
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Old Sep 11, 2013, 12:29 pm
  #49  
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I still don't see what is the issue. If you are UK or EEA passport holder it makes no differance from now. If you are not clearly you need visa which in most cases you get if you have 3 months on your passport as my wife does, Russian, let's say you get your visa and its valid for 6 months on the actual day you travel you could have less then 3 months on the passport and is is what they are cracking down on, that's all. So what if you have to have passport checked, I need to when I travel to Russia. All part of the start of European borders going up and the end of schengen!
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Old Sep 11, 2013, 12:33 pm
  #50  
 
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Is it stated anywhere that this applies to all passengers, or just those that need a visa to enter EU countries? (can't find the original article anywhere)

This is part of a BA plan to reduce the number of people who get through security but then get rejected at the gate due to passport reasons (currently if you are on a non EU passport with handluggage only then the only chance BA get to validate your visa status is when they swipe your passport at the gate). Having passengers rejected at the gate slows down the boarding process, and also makes it harder for any plans to automate the boarding process.
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Old Sep 11, 2013, 12:35 pm
  #51  
 
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Just so I've got this straight, correct me if I'm wrong:

EU passport holders, travelling within the EU, with no bags, must go to a physical desk (or machine) in order to check passport validity already provided via APIS, due to new visa regulations that do not apply to them. Furthermore as such, mobile boarding passes are now utterly pointless, and serve no useful purpose.

If so, this is one of the most utterly stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid rules I've ever witnessed.
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Old Sep 11, 2013, 12:37 pm
  #52  
 
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Originally Posted by irishguy28
Are there any shorthaul countries served from T5 that are not EEA/EU members?
IST, KBP, LED, DME (I am not sure if DME falls into 'shorthaul' as it is operated by WW fleet, but it is only 15 min longer than KBP and shorter than IST).

I am not sure why BA is implementing this but it's definitely not to do away with passport checks at the gate. KBP flights have always required a visa check (I don't know why - E.U./U.S. citizens don't need one), however, passports are always checked at the gate.
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Old Sep 11, 2013, 12:37 pm
  #53  
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Originally Posted by CUPPSIT
Is it stated anywhere that this applies to all passengers, or just those that need a visa to enter EU countries? (can't find the original article anywher

This is part of a BA plan to reduce the number of people who get through security but then get rejected at the gate due to passport reasons (currently if you are on a non EU passport with handluggage only then the only chance BA get to validate your visa status is when they swipe your passport at the gate). Having passengers rejected at the gate slows down the boarding process, and also makes it harder for any plans to automate the boarding process.
Exactly only for non EEA passengers, so really it makes sense as it saves hassle at gate. If you travel and need visa is there really any issue to take a few minutes and swipe your passport. Happens everywhere else try getting into the USA
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Old Sep 11, 2013, 12:40 pm
  #54  
 
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Originally Posted by CUPPSIT
Is it stated anywhere that this applies to all passengers, or just those that need a visa to enter EU countries? (can't find the original article anywhere)

This is part of a BA plan to reduce the number of people who get through security but then get rejected at the gate due to passport reasons (currently if you are on a non EU passport with handluggage only then the only chance BA get to validate your visa status is when they swipe your passport at the gate). Having passengers rejected at the gate slows down the boarding process, and also makes it harder for any plans to automate the boarding process.
The news article on ba.com suggests that everyone has to do this. The disadvantages are obvious.
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Old Sep 11, 2013, 12:42 pm
  #55  
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Originally Posted by ba_cityflyer
Just so I've got this straight, correct me if I'm wrong:

EU passport holders, travelling within the EU, with no bags, must go to a physical desk (or machine) in order to check passport validity already provided via APIS, due to new visa regulations that do not apply to them. Furthermore as such, mobile boarding passes are now utterly pointless, and serve no useful purpose.

If so, this is one of the most utterly stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid rules I've ever witnessed.
The BA site seems to say it is not for UK passport holders, I think lot people worrying. It is only for people who need visas to go to these countires and the change is you need 3 months on passport when you travel before you could travel with visa even with 2 weeks left.
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Old Sep 11, 2013, 12:43 pm
  #56  
 
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Originally Posted by NickB
There are already pre-security visa checks for intercontinental destinations so the changes, by definition, only affect EU/EEA.
I travel to the US and Asia frequently and have NEVER had to have my passport checked before travelling out of T5 with hand baggage only.
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Old Sep 11, 2013, 12:47 pm
  #57  
 
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Originally Posted by BahrainLad
I travel to the US and Asia frequently and have NEVER had to have my passport checked before travelling out of T5 with hand baggage only.
Indeed I have done JFK before without going to a physical desk.
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Old Sep 11, 2013, 12:51 pm
  #58  
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The Small Print

From BA site:

British and Swiss passport holders, plus other EEA nationals, may continue to enter these countries with passports that are valid on arrival.


Does not affect UK, Swiss or EEA. Simply anyone who needs visa, must have 3 months clear. This is an ongoing change to EEA reguulations. It should not affect UK at all, can we honestly think that BA would check every single EEA, Swiss and UK passport?

Right case closed off to meet the wife, ohhh I am T5, maybe should go ask BA and clarify it
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Old Sep 11, 2013, 12:54 pm
  #59  
 
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Originally Posted by gav0106
From BA site:

British and Swiss passport holders, plus other EEA nationals, may continue to enter these countries with passports that are valid on arrival.


Does not affect UK, Swiss or EEA. Simply anyone who needs visa, must have 3 months clear.

Right case closed off to meet the wife, ohhh I am T5, maybe should go ask BA and clarify it
Read the OP. BA is making everyone do the check it would appear. Even if they are entitled to enter the country with a passport valid on arrival. Do you see the problem now?
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Old Sep 11, 2013, 12:55 pm
  #60  
 
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Originally Posted by CUPPSIT
Is it stated anywhere that this applies to all passengers, or just those that need a visa to enter EU countries? (can't find the original article anywhere)

This is part of a BA plan to reduce the number of people who get through security but then get rejected at the gate due to passport reasons (currently if you are on a non EU passport with handluggage only then the only chance BA get to validate your visa status is when they swipe your passport at the gate). Having passengers rejected at the gate slows down the boarding process, and also makes it harder for any plans to automate the boarding process.
See the first post. It's set out there.
Disco Volante is offline  


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