More than 1,000 passengers have entered the UK over the last three years without passing through passport control, thanks to airport blunders, according to the Home Office.

How the Errors Occurred

The mistakes occurred when travelers who had just arrived at a UK airport were mistakenly directed through the wrong route within the terminal buildings, bypassing passport and immigration controls.

Airlines and Airports Can Face Fines

The responsibility for correctly guiding international passengers towards immigration control lies with the airlines and airports, which can face fines for any mistakes made.

Human Error a Likely Cause

Human error, such as leaving the wrong doors open at arrival gates, is believed to be a common cause for these blunders, allowing passengers to slip past the usual passport and immigration checks.

A Significant Increase in Incidents

Home Office figures revealed a total of 574 passengers entered the country in this manner last year, a substantial increase compared to the 142 in 2021 and the 420 in 2020, when international travel was severely restricted due to the pandemic.

Situation Assessment

While some of the misdirected passengers may be discovered and brought back through passport control, it is acknowledged that others are able to leave the airport without being checked. Alp Mehmet, Chairman of Migrationwatch UK, expressed concern over the numbers and emphasized that border security is not solely the responsibility of the Border Force, but also of the airport and ferry port authorities.

Response from Airport Operators Association

An Airport Operators Association spokesperson downplayed the significance of the numbers, stating that they represent just 1/4000th of one percent of the total number of passengers handled by UK airports during that period. They explained that these incidents typically happened when ordinary passengers took a wrong turn, and once the mistake was detected, it was usually corrected, with the passengers going through passport control as required. The spokesperson assured that airports constantly monitor their procedures and seek continuous improvement to avoid such occurrences.

No Comment from the Home Office

A Home Office spokesperson declined to comment on operational matters.