firstclasslad

I've created this thread so that we can build a better picture of BA's (changing) issuing of international boarding pass policies for British passport holders with no resident permits.

As some of you know, Spanish residents who flew from London on BA in January were denied boarding due to not having sufficient documentation whilst travelling on their British Passport. It is worth pointing out this thread is irrelevant if you hold a passport for the country of your destination.

Sometimes BA are just not in the know of UK policy let alone international policies so it is advised to have the latest information from an embassy website printed off to support your case. The UK Embassy in Madrid has since published an update on travel to Spain for British nationals which has provided additional accepted documentation.

A few days later the UK government tighten rules to restrict most work travel. How this is being enforced is no doubt changing on a weekly basis and the urgency of the trip.

I hold a British passport and flew to Paris at the end of January for work. I was eventually issued a boarding pass but it was like taking blood from a stone. Staff had a list of criteria for each country and understandably, given the speed of changing rules, they were very confused of the rules, for a British passenger, by both the UK & French gov. The staff and their manager obviously hadn't had any other British passport holder/national that day flying internationally. The experience for me was not quick or efficient.

A few days after my flight, France brought in tougher rules to enter (how this transitions to BA policy I can not comment on in practice).

That day, BA staff told me in future you'll need to have either additional documentation or I will not be allowed to travel/have boarding pass issued due to the impending stricter rules from the UK gov. This won't be a problem given that we have offices wherever work sends me.

I'm wondering what other passengers have experienced recently (in the last 2-3 weeks from BA staff)?

To keep this thread topic related, please keep posts related to British nationals who have actually travelled from London with BA on British passports since February.

Often1

Isn't the essential missing variable the destinations (including transits)?

E.g., the change for BA on UK-to-US flights came with the introduction of the US requirement of a negative test result, not because of a change in BA policy.

lhrsfo

I think we are talking two different things here.

First off, there's the question of leaving the country. As I understand it, the airlines, including BA, have agreed to ask the question as to whether the trip is for business, but not enquire further. Rumours are that the Home Office will require a form from 8 March, but nothing has been published yet.

And then, there's the need to check that the passenger is allowed into the foreign country, and that will vary depending upon the country, the date of travel and no doubt the phases of the Moon. But I believe that they still use TIMATIC for that. The problem, of course, is ensuring that all the pieces of paper that are required are the correct ones, and correctly filled in.

Often1

This sounds correct. It has little to do with BA or BA policy and everything to do with government requirements to leave the UK, to transit any given jurisdiction, and to enter one's destination jurisdiction. These two would also include citizenship tot he extent that it matters and thus UK nationals are simply one subset of passengers.

babyg_wc

Ive travelled recently, and the BA check-in staff simply make sure you have the appropriate forms/tests etc in place for the country you are flying to.

However the government has indicated that from march 8 you will need to apply online for permission to leave the county, i assume BA will check this too.

If its like anything this government has done, it will be half arsed and poorly policed.

KeaneJohn

They seem to be a bit less lax at the moment with waits for 4.5hrs at the border at LHR last night with everybody having every document checked.

Given the news today of the rogue Brazilian strain now in the country I’d expect checking and enforcement of outbound travel to be more stringent next week when the new declaration to travel forms come in.

southlondonphil

I thought 8th March was just the date when 'Priti's Permission Slip' was likely to be publicly confirmed, but it would only take effect from 29th/30th March when the existing 'ban' on leaving home expires, and the actual detail of the form, application process and web gateway would slowly emerge from the fog of confusion during the intervening 2-3 weeks. That's the usual government process with Covid measures, it seems.

babyg_wc

OP was asking about the BA checkin staff, but yes I agree the border staff are checking everything on your way back into the country. My advice would be to get a return flight that lands as early as possible (e.g. before 7am).

This government uses big scary language and the media to scare people into not flying, vs actually having a good border policy and laws to back them up.

FlyingScientist

If it depends on the phases of the Moon, they might also use LUNATIC.

Tobias-UK

In the government’s Spring 2021 COVID-19 Response presented to Parliament a couple of weeks ago, it was announced: “In England, travel abroad for holidays will still not be permitted and, from 8 March, outbound travellers will be legally obliged to provide their reason for travel on the Declaration to Travel form”.

Speedbird676

Seems a complete waste of effort given international travel is expected to be allowed from 17th May.

masmadrid

Something tells me that the permission slips will be around far longer than the international travel ban. See: 9/11

Cathay1101

We just managed to board today’s BA2203 to Cancun, albeit with hassle and scrutiny than I encountered at Pyongyang’s FNJ! A wall of Sussex police stood between us and the check-in desk making sure those travelling were doing so for essential reasons.

As we’re not UK residents (I started a thread about this a while back, which got rather heated!) We were fine to travel and explained that we were using the UK as a transit stop which they said was by no means illegal under the current leg. So long as we self isolated properly.

Out of curiosity, I asked if they’d been turning people away and apparently quite a few were sent home and not allowed to proceed to check-in - you wouldn’t know it as Club is 90% full and economy doesn’t look much roomier (glad we bagged a double upgrade for two @ £299 a pop!)

After check-in we ended up seeing the same officers again as they’d moved over to the security entrance as there was another flight departing so hence they wanted to check everyone not just BA departures - friendly guys and I ended up asking what would have happened if I had persisted and he said as a UK resident we’d turn you around but as a visitor we can only slap you with a fine and let you on your way. Nice blokes and there was some good banter about the English cricket team to keep it light - they were jealous we could leave and one in particular made their own feelings known about the ban on travel!

Ended up seeing him again at the gate when a man who had, let’s say, taken to the duty free beverages rather vociferously was pinned to the ground and escorted out for not wearing his mask. Great blokes all around, although I doubt the London MET police at Heathrow would ever have quite the resources to be as thorough.

TLDR - you’re not sneaking out of Gatwick for some sun if you’re a Pom who doesn’t live abroad!

it’s been quite the morning!

Christian K

Interesting insights - Thanks for sharing!

What is the situation in Heathrow like? Any recent experiences?

babyg_wc

Gatwick is often used the airport to "show/practice/pr/whatever" things are being done.

I travelled out via Heathrow 2 weeks ago and there were zero police and/or additional "are you legally permitted" questions at check-in, plus as a bonus was you got to use the BA First check-in/Security if you were travelling club...