Picture ID on UK domestic flights

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  • Anonymous
    Guest

    Cedric_Statherby
    Participant

    I have recently signed up with the BA mobile app for boarding cards on my mobile (yes I know the cognoscenti did this years ago), and I notice that on my recent domestic flights I have not needed to show any picture ID.

    Is this part of the mobile boarding procedure? If so, does it work on international flights or only domestic ones? And what is the safeguard against me lending my phone to someone else (or them just taking it)?


    TominScotland
    Participant

    I am not sure when BA stopped asking for photo id on domestic flights (if they ever did?) but the no id rule has applied to all passengers for a number of years.The only exception is if you are connecting on to an international flight when a check at check-in or lounge or gate will be made. Nothing to do with mobile aps, Cedric as it applies to those with printed boarding cards as well.


    openfly
    Participant

    There’s no ID check on BA domestic flights.


    canucklad
    Participant

    It’s a rather odd state of affairs Cedric.

    I was never asked for photo Id on my weekly commute to LHR. Due to somebody forgetting the premiership was starting I had to make a flying visit to Southampton.

    When I tried to check in at the Flybe desk at EDI I was refused. No photo
    ID ! Bizarrely after a wee chat with the desk jockeys they accepted my DC gold card as the equivalent of photo ID and I was on my way.

    The desk jockeys in Southampton proved to be more difficult. BD wasn’t recognized as an airline on the south coast.


    DerekVH
    Participant

    In the past fortnight I have twice been asked for photo ID on the LHR/GLA route in both directions. Both times using my iPhone APP and I am a sliver card holder. I understand this is something which is done ad hoc check and thought nothing of it.


    travelworld2
    Participant

    I was asked for photo ID at check in for a BA LCY-GLA flight last week (and on the return leg). My friend, who had no check in baggage, wasn’t.


    Coates99
    Participant

    Let me add some additional comments. Recently flew LHR-NCL-LHR. No picture ID required on the outbound flight but on the return was requested to provide. This I was told is because most domestic stations on the BA network do not have the same passenger photo capability of Heathrow. Without picture id I do not believe we would have been allowed on the NCL-LHR leg of our journey.


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    My daughter recently flew AMS – ZRH – LUG return and noticed the day before her passport had just expired! Swiss confirmed for Schengen flights they will accept an expired ID up to three years after it’s expiry for identification.

    She checked in online with hand baggage only, and as it so happened no-one checked her ID at all.


    Cedric_Statherby
    Participant

    All very interesting. Thank you to all repliers. I think the only safe conclusion is that one *may* be asked to show ID, and so to be safe one *ought* to carry it.

    It would of course be easier if the UK had national ID cards. But that I suspect is another debate …

    A very interesting debate indeed Cedric.

    I always travel with passport, even on UK domestic flights without international connections.

    Strange but true, my Permanent Resident card in Luxembourg does not have my photo, so even if I take the train to Metz or Trier or Arlon I take passport even though a police check on board is very unlikely but not unheard of.

    And after all these years it still puzzles me how my partner travels home to Spain with national ID card only.


    DerekVH
    Participant

    Call me cynical but I don’t believe this has anything to do with security but is down to revenue protection to ensure you haven’t given/sold your ticket to someone else!


    canucklad
    Participant

    Personally, I don’t see any need for photo ID on domestic flights.
    Why do airlines not trust us, but rail companies do.

    However, if I was going to hazard a guess at why, I would take a stab in the dark that it might be for disaster recovery reasons, in the unlikely event of a catastrophic incident. Then again why the inconsistencies ?

    And all the LCC’s have required this whilst BA & BD didn’t….again maybe down to originally not allocating seats?


    KarlMarx
    Participant

    I asked an Easyjet check in agent why photo ID was required and was told it was to stop people speculatively buying cheap tickets well forward, then reselling them at a profit on eBay – sounds plausible.


    Cedric_Statherby
    Participant

    I have now had a formal reply from the BA Exec Club. Quote:

    Thank you for your enquiry, it’s normal for you not to need security ID if you have checked in prior to arrival at the airport and you don’t have any bags to drop – this is due to the new photograph identity systems in place for domestic services and it is only for these services. There is no risk to you regarding giving/someone taking your phone as nothing is stored using the App.

    So the rules appear to be (a) check in online or by phone and (b) no hold baggage, then no ID required. But the last bit of their reply interests me. What I think this means is that I can give my phone to someone else (or they can steal it) and they can then board the plane under my name (indeed, masquerading as me). Not entirely sure I am happy with that …

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