BA refuses boarding back to UK despite OK from Immigration Authorities
Nov 26, 2018, 11:12 am
#121
Join Date: Dec 2004
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You see this is what I'm not sure about. Only someone working for BA can answer this. When I asked him "will border agents in UK be able to confirm they give said reference numbers?", he replied saying something along the lines of "its immigration line that I called that we have". I repeated the same question and he refused to say whether he talked to Border Agents directly or no. Hence my believe that ether he was bs'ing OR he talked to some customer service rep....How hard is it for them to put me on the line with them?
It's your choice but personally I would focus on solving the issue and worry about this later.
Nov 26, 2018, 11:14 am
#122
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: BAEC silver
Posts: 464
OP as you knew your EU ID had expired what did the BA agent say when you checked in and you told them it was out of date? I’m assuming you were honest and told them?
Nov 26, 2018, 11:21 am
#123
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 22
But that's where none of us knows either. We were not in the back office at the time to hear that conversation. I think you can be sure such a procedure exists. I think collectively we do believe that with the paperwork you have with you (perhaps scanned/faxed through) the Border Agency would issue you and BA with a reference number and BA would let you board the flight. Something's either gone wrong there or the Border Agency has for some reason denied you entry. I sense it will be hard to know exactly what happened there even after you're back in the UK.
It's your choice but personally I would focus on solving the issue and worry about this later.
It's your choice but personally I would focus on solving the issue and worry about this later.
Nov 26, 2018, 11:52 am
#124
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Nov 26, 2018, 1:10 pm
#125
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I don't get the point why we are discussing so much about it.
OP is not a UK citizen. He retrieves his rights to enter the UK from EU treaty rights.
There is a rule that you must have a valid ID card to enter the UK.
But doesn't have it.
My beef would be more how the consulate (of the country the OP is holding citizenship with) was dealing with that matter.
Who brings his birth certificate along on travel? There should be another way to issue the OP a proper emergency passport.
OP is not a UK citizen. He retrieves his rights to enter the UK from EU treaty rights.
There is a rule that you must have a valid ID card to enter the UK.
But doesn't have it.
My beef would be more how the consulate (of the country the OP is holding citizenship with) was dealing with that matter.
Who brings his birth certificate along on travel? There should be another way to issue the OP a proper emergency passport.
Nov 26, 2018, 1:30 pm
#126
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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[QUOTE=fomc;30465763]
There is ZERO chance the UK immigration authorities won’t allow me in. Hence, no risk to BA of a fine. [/QUOTE]
Sorry, but if this is your starting assumption, it is a badly mistaken one, and it very much ignores the current 'mood'. I have heard of a number of cases recently that I really would not have expected. In turn, starting from that mistaken assumption makes you very unlikely to reach a solution with the airline.
The position of Hungarian emigration in terms of letting you out on an expired document also has no bearing whatsoever on what UK authorities would do. Here, the correct procedure is indeed for BA to contact UK immigration and ask for clearance, if this is not confirmed, you will need either for your home country Consulate to be more understanding and give you a laissez passer or for someone to come to bring you your passport (in theories courier companies generally do not allow for them to be mailed). You can also contact UK immigration directly and if you get some formal confirmation from them they would let you in you can certainly show that to BA or another airline.
I do agree that this is all a massive pain in the back, but you are barking at the wrong tree. It is absolutely not BA's responsibility towards you to check the validity of your credentials though it is their agreed responsibility to immigration authorities, and I any case, letting you fly without the required paperwork would not be the right recourse.
There is ZERO chance the UK immigration authorities won’t allow me in. Hence, no risk to BA of a fine. [/QUOTE]
Sorry, but if this is your starting assumption, it is a badly mistaken one, and it very much ignores the current 'mood'. I have heard of a number of cases recently that I really would not have expected. In turn, starting from that mistaken assumption makes you very unlikely to reach a solution with the airline.
The position of Hungarian emigration in terms of letting you out on an expired document also has no bearing whatsoever on what UK authorities would do. Here, the correct procedure is indeed for BA to contact UK immigration and ask for clearance, if this is not confirmed, you will need either for your home country Consulate to be more understanding and give you a laissez passer or for someone to come to bring you your passport (in theories courier companies generally do not allow for them to be mailed). You can also contact UK immigration directly and if you get some formal confirmation from them they would let you in you can certainly show that to BA or another airline.
I do agree that this is all a massive pain in the back, but you are barking at the wrong tree. It is absolutely not BA's responsibility towards you to check the validity of your credentials though it is their agreed responsibility to immigration authorities, and I any case, letting you fly without the required paperwork would not be the right recourse.
Nov 26, 2018, 1:53 pm
#127
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: DWC
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Posts: 626
I see a great Brexit-releated headline opportunity here: ‘British Airways refuses to fly EU citizen to UK’ 
On a serious note though I have had a slightly similar case. A close relative was trying to fly back to the UK after having changed their name and obtained a new passport and having the UK residence permit in the passport with the old name. The contracted handling agent had to be pushed hard (but courteously) to call London and get clearance. It took about 30 minutes but eventually the all clear was granted.
We prepared a detailed explanation but the UKBF agent just casually asked if the pax had changed their name and waved us through.
On a serious note though I have had a slightly similar case. A close relative was trying to fly back to the UK after having changed their name and obtained a new passport and having the UK residence permit in the passport with the old name. The contracted handling agent had to be pushed hard (but courteously) to call London and get clearance. It took about 30 minutes but eventually the all clear was granted.
We prepared a detailed explanation but the UKBF agent just casually asked if the pax had changed their name and waved us through.
Nov 26, 2018, 2:17 pm
#128
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 732
The UK is not the only country with advisory hotlines for air carriers. To my knowledge, at least the US, Canada and Germany have a similar formal system. Those numbers are confidential and if one were able to obtain the number, nobody would speak with you anyway. It is the most efficient way to handle the issue and ultimately all that matters is that the relevant immigration authority authorizes the air carrier to board the individual in the knowledge that it will not be penalized for doing so. Other than satisfying OP's view that BA and UK immigration are a pack of liars, it does not inform or help the situation.
Nov 26, 2018, 3:19 pm
#130
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Yes, I suspect that this is precisely what happened. the BA agent might have communicated just some of the facts or they did and the BF agent did not hear correctly. It seems to me that, with the kind of documentation he had, I would have thought that the OP would have been a rather easy case to wave as good to travel.
Nov 26, 2018, 3:23 pm
#131
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Sorry, but if this is your starting assumption, it is a badly mistaken one, and it very much ignores the current 'mood'. I have heard of a number of cases recently that I really would not have expected. In turn, starting from that mistaken assumption makes you very unlikely to reach a solution with the airline.
Nov 26, 2018, 4:26 pm
#132
Join Date: Nov 2004
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I had a period a few years ago that I arrived quite a few times at the UK border without my "main" passport used for the UK. I was pedantic in being super truthful with the IOs (and not just slip in as a tourist on my other passport. Which got me to the border, via airlines in the first place). Every time was put in a holding pen (not as scary as it sounds, it's right there among the lines of people). They would then go to the back office, check up my story and 15-30 mins later, let in without any issue.
Getting to Eurostar station (or the ferry ports) would definitely solve the OPs predicament. He would be able to see an IO.
(the UK has an amazing visa system for entrepreneurs, great concept to attract immigrants that bring high value. Unfortunately thoroughly abused. A kebab shop owner hiring his "cousins" for min wage for the minimum required time is in same boat as tech entrepreneur, with dozens of employees, a product that can make bring real value to the world and made in UK, 10s of millions of foreign investment attracted, where every salary is many multiples of the min wage and all are in for the long run. So instead of solving the specific (yet rampant) abuse they just apply crazy bureaucracy to all and take a year for every decision along the immigration path. Kebab owner cares not she/he cannot travel. Tech entrepreneur might as well close the company down.)
Getting to Eurostar station (or the ferry ports) would definitely solve the OPs predicament. He would be able to see an IO.
(the UK has an amazing visa system for entrepreneurs, great concept to attract immigrants that bring high value. Unfortunately thoroughly abused. A kebab shop owner hiring his "cousins" for min wage for the minimum required time is in same boat as tech entrepreneur, with dozens of employees, a product that can make bring real value to the world and made in UK, 10s of millions of foreign investment attracted, where every salary is many multiples of the min wage and all are in for the long run. So instead of solving the specific (yet rampant) abuse they just apply crazy bureaucracy to all and take a year for every decision along the immigration path. Kebab owner cares not she/he cannot travel. Tech entrepreneur might as well close the company down.)
Nov 26, 2018, 5:12 pm
#135
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: London
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The good news is that the OP's wife was able to collect his passport, so looks like all's well that ends well. If the OP's wife had not been able to collect it then things would have started to become a bit more tricky. I would never ever cross a border without my passport.