Originally Posted by
Prospero
Whilst rudeness is not on, it is understandable that a transfer pax might get just a bit ticked off after the outstation SSCI kiosk scanned their machine readable passport and confirmed validation. BA advises passengers when checking in at domestic outstations only to use the manned desks when directed to by its automated systems so I suspect the system broke down somewhere the morning of my travel, as TBS replicated the same actions (and incidentally on the same route) as I did but on a different day. He managed to pass through to T5 without the need for a BA member of staff manually checking his passport.
I am happy to side step the system and present my passport for manual checking at the outstation bag drop desk in future - but it is a belt and braces approach don't you think?
The physical scanning of a passport and the "Visa & passport check" are two different conformance checks. The CIK would scan your passport, you then need to see someone at a FBD in EDI, the lounge or the transfer desk at LHR for them to physically look at your passport and check the box to say it has been seen by a human and is valid for the journey travelled.
There is a piece of work going on for the CIKs in the regions to direct hand baggage only passengers to a specific desk to have the "Visa & passport check" done. Passengers checking in bags get it done at the bag drop desk at the outstation.