Photo ID and Internal Flights

There's an interesting article in today'sObserver travel section about the worth (or otherwise) of photo ID on domestic flights in the UK. I must admit I thought EZY were quite strict about this until I pitched up at check in one day and, whilst struggling to extricate my driving licence, was told not to worry as they would be happy with the company id I still had strung round my neck.

Paul

[mitchja]

For all the domestic UK flights I've done with BA and BMI, I think I've been asked for photo ID maybe once or twice

I cant really see the need for it. You don't need to show it for any other form of public transport to get around the UK.

Mind you all UK airports take your photograph as you enter security for domestic flights anyway. They have done this for several years now. It to make sure you don't swap boarding cards and try to board an international flight as your photo is compared to your boarding card as you board the A/C.

Who knows what else the airlines use that photo for? I don't even know how long they keep it for?

Regards

I did one of the T5 trials before it opened (the less said about the opening the better!) and the BAA paperwork they gave us then said that any photographs taken for internal flight passengers were encrypted, then destroyed within 24hours. (There was also a paragraph in there about how you could refuse to have your photo taken in the T5 trials for an internal flight, but I bet that option does not exist now).

James

I read that too and was slightly concerned (especially as the solution was to send the chap to the station to get a rail card) but I do wish there was some consistency in this.

In 2007 I was at LGW travelling for work and as I was getting my passport from my bag (it was a domestic flight and as I don't drive I don't have a licence) I pulled my work ID out and they said that wasn't acceptable ID even thought it had my photo and name on it. In fact the checkin lady was quite shirty about it until I produced my passport.

THey are far more strict about ID in the states - see this link to the TSA

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/ ... ments.shtm


Oh and is it me getting confused but when did they stop doing passport checks at the gate. I'm sure they always checked these as they put yout bording pass through the scanner.

[mitchja]

quote:Originally posted by tontybear

Oh and is it me getting confused but when did they stop doing passport checks at the gate. I'm sure they always checked these as they put yout bording pass through the scanner.


That's only for international flights.

Regards

Ta for the info James. Just me getting confused !


They have been doing the internal photo thing for ages at LGW where they can't separate the arriving and departing pax. I suppose when they do the place up they will be able to maintain separation.

[honey lamb]

Don't talk to me about ID on domestic flights [V]

If I want to fly from Cork to Dublin with Ryanair and use OLCI I have to provide my passport details. Moreover when I get to Dublin they have no channels at Immigration for domestic flights and we have to queue with the rest of the EU passport holders. Earlier this year Aer John flew to Dublin. The flight took 25 minutes but it took him 40 minutes to go through Immigration!! [:0][:0]

I have heard of an 80 year old lady in Belfast having to get a passport for the first time in her life to be able to visit her sister in Manchester [V]

I also had an experience some years ago when we were developing a project that was being facilitated by a lady from Glasgow. At the start we had agreed on a timetable and as it was being financed from this side of the Irish Sea we were funding it. We booked the relevant dates on Ryanair from Prestwick and emailed them to her. All went well till the penultimate. I arrived in Dublin an there was no-one to be seen which was unusual as this lady was always the first to arrive. We waited and waited and eventually she turned up some two hours late. Ryanair had changed their policy on ID and were only accepting passports and not the one she had provided. They refused to accept a fax of it which her husband could provide and she had no alternative but to return home and get it. On the train between Prestwich and Glasgow she saw an Aer Lingus flight come in to land, got off at the relevant station and at the EI desk uttered the immortal words 'Ryanair have really messed me around'. They matched the Ryanair fare and got a customer for life