Over 1,000 passengers have managed to enter the UK without going through passport control in the past three years due to airport blunders, according to the Home Office.
Accidental wrong turns
These errors occur when travelers who have just landed at a UK airport are inadvertently directed the wrong way through the terminal buildings, bypassing passport and immigration controls.
Responsibility lies with airlines and airports
It is the responsibility of airlines and airports to ensure that international passengers are correctly directed towards immigration control. Any mistakes in this process can result in fines.
Human error
Most of these blunders are believed to be caused by human error, such as leaving the wrong doors open at the arrival gates, allowing passengers to slip past the normal passport and immigration controls.
Rising numbers
The Home Office figures reveal a concerning trend. There were 574 passengers who entered the country this way last year, a significant increase from 142 in 2021 and 420 in 2020 when international air travel was heavily restricted due to the pandemic.
Serious security lapses
While some of these misdirected passengers may be discovered and brought back through passport control, there are cases where individuals are able to leave the airport without being checked.
Alp Mehmet, Chairman of Migrationwatch UK, expressed his concern: "While the numbers are relatively small, they are still disquieting. And, for once, the Home Office is not to blame. Border security is not just down to the Border Force; those responsible for airport and ferry port estates must play their part too and not allow complacency."
Putting things in perspective
The Airport Operators Association has emphasized that these numbers represent a small fraction of the total number of passengers handled by UK airports over this period, making it less of a major issue. The association states that these incidents usually occur when ordinary passengers take a wrong turn and are quickly corrected upon discovery, with passengers then going through proper passport control.
A Home Office spokesperson declined to comment on operational matters.
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