BA Passport check - mines been in the washing machine
Feb 15, 2019, 5:55 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Milton Keynes
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 202
BA Passport check - mines been in the washing machine
hi, whilst not strictly BA I’m flying out to AMS Monday then onto JNB / CPT on BA.
my passport has been through the washing machine - zipped up in a pocket - it’s looks ok, rather damp.
will the E portion still work? The main page looks ok.
my passport has been through the washing machine - zipped up in a pocket - it’s looks ok, rather damp.
will the E portion still work? The main page looks ok.
Feb 15, 2019, 6:01 am
#3
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire
Posts: 1,242
I haven't tried with mine to wash it but I think the chip inside the passport is well protected and wouldn't be an issue. I would say if you have one of the latest passport where the picture and the text is printed on a plastic page I think you should be fine. However if you have an older one where there is a sticker covers the whole page you could be in trouble if that sticker comes up at certain areas or that page has a dodgy looking...
Feb 15, 2019, 6:13 am
#4
Join Date: Nov 2013
Programs: BA
Posts: 346
I wouldn’t worry too much about the chip not working. Mine has been broken for ~5 years and it’s never been more than a mild inconvenience.
At LHR I’ve found that its quicker to try to use the eGate, then when it fails you’ll be directly taken to a border force person.
At LHR I’ve found that its quicker to try to use the eGate, then when it fails you’ll be directly taken to a border force person.
Feb 15, 2019, 6:15 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: BAEC "I'm blue Da ba dee da ba di", Skywards Blue, Miles & More (very passive)
Posts: 80
If you have a phone that supports NFC, it should be able to detect the RFID chip in the passport and with the right app (for example NFC TagInfo on Android) read the data.
Feb 15, 2019, 6:47 am
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
The better question is whether the cleansing did any outward damage to the document. Once dry, will it look the same. That is where people run into uneven treatment as the determination of whether a passport is "damaged" is purely subjective.
Feb 15, 2019, 7:13 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,233
I wouldn’t worry too much about the chip not working. Mine has been broken for ~5 years and it’s never been more than a mild inconvenience.
At LHR I’ve found that its quicker to try to use the eGate, then when it fails you’ll be directly taken to a border force person.
At LHR I’ve found that its quicker to try to use the eGate, then when it fails you’ll be directly taken to a border force person.
Feb 15, 2019, 7:28 am
#9
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver (for now)
Posts: 1,000
Feb 15, 2019, 7:58 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,166
Entering the UK with a damaged passport will likely cause no problems but the Border Force agent will likely advise him to get a new passport ASAP (and in some cases with severely damaged ones they can retain them at the border)
Feb 15, 2019, 8:01 am
#11
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: UK
Programs: BA Blue, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond
Posts: 303
Feb 15, 2019, 8:35 am
#12
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Ipswich
Posts: 7,543
Well my passport didn't go through the washing machine but it was pretty thoroughly washed by hand (I'll spare you the details of WHY that was necessary). It was submerged, washed with detergent for some minutes and hung out to dry naturally,
It's worked fine since and never had any issues with it, in egates or by eye so you might be OK with it.
It's worked fine since and never had any issues with it, in egates or by eye so you might be OK with it.
Feb 15, 2019, 9:32 am
#13
Join Date: Oct 2017
Programs: BA Gold, Tesco, Nectar
Posts: 313
Same thing happened to me, many of the passport pages had run - No problem for me as I self scan as a gold in the first wing and was only going to to Paris.
On the way back, the Immigration officer strongly advised me to get a new one. Some countries are very unforgiving and "think you may be trying to hide something".
Edit: Wow I sound like a complete DYKWIA! It's self scan at the normal security too isn't it possibly?!
On the way back, the Immigration officer strongly advised me to get a new one. Some countries are very unforgiving and "think you may be trying to hide something".
Edit: Wow I sound like a complete DYKWIA! It's self scan at the normal security too isn't it possibly?!
Last edited by Newbtravelle; Feb 15, 2019 at 9:42 am
Feb 15, 2019, 9:56 am
#14
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: UK. BAEC AAdvantage
Programs: Mucci Des Oeufs Brouilles et des Canards
Posts: 3,671
Might have to try a different app. I tried one when I first read about it here. Got several pages of info including the basics like my name, d.o.b. passport id, photo, document and country signing certificates, and a thing called Data Group Hashes. I've deleted the app as it try to keep only things I use regularly but I've kept the screenshots just in case I lose my passport while travelling - may come in helpful getting a replacement!
Feb 15, 2019, 11:07 am
#15
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 1,782
It does now (happened last year I think)
https://developer.apple.com/documentation/corenfc
https://developer.apple.com/documentation/corenfc
