Ryanair passengers enter UK without checks

Passengers on a Ryanair flight last Wednesday flew into Britain from Spain without having their documents checked in either country.

The plane left Malaga and flew into Bournemouth, where the 180 passengers walked out of the airport without showing their passports, reported The Daily Mail.

Bob Shepherd, one of nearly 200 passengers on the unchecked flight, said: "Bournemouth Airport's security was a farce on that day."

It is thought a breakdown in communication meant that no officials from the UK Border Agency were at the airport to check the passports when the flight landed.

Sheperd said: "It was bizarre the way we were waved through in Malaga. I could have had Mickey Mouse on my passport.I could have been a known terrorist going through Bournemouth without being stopped." 

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the UK Border Agency said it was the responsibility of the airline or handling company to advise their staff when inbound flights arrive.

He said: "We were not notified on this occasion until passengers had passed through to the baggage reclaim area. We are concerned that this situation occurred and we are working with the airport to ensure it does not happen again." 

He said: "The airport is urgently investigating how the airline's handling agent allowed passengers to enter the arrivals building before UK Border Agency staff were in place to receive them." 

But Tony Grunskill, a spokesman for airport operations firm, Servisair, blamed human error from UK Border Agency staff.  

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.