Trouble-free entry for immigrants and terrorists?

Gloomendoom

Voyager2002 wrote: »

True, but since the flight was within the Common Travel Area it had the same status as a domestic flight.

It might as well be a domestic flight as there are no land border controls between the UK and Eire.

NFH

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Since Irish people have a legal right to come to the UK, this is what you should expect. Similar controls are applied to flights arriving from Manchester, for exactly the same reason.

French, Lithuanians and Bulgarians similarly have a legal right to come to (and work in) the UK, so why don't flights from France, Lithuania and Bulgaria similarly enjoy a lack of UK immigration controls? The reason is that the right of Irish people to come to the UK is nothing to do with the lack of immigration controls at Stansted for flights from Ireland.

There are three immigration zones in Europe:

• Schengen Area - most of the EU and EEA plus Switzerland.
• Common Travel Area - United Kingdom, Ireland, Isle of Man and Channel Islands
• Union State - Russia and Belarus

There are no immigration controls when travelling within each of the above immigration zones. That is the reason for the lack of immigration controls at Stansted for flights from Ireland.

As for the notion suggested above that an Ireland-UK flight is domestic, this is false. It is no more domestic than a flight from the Canary Islands to Finland.

[Deleted User]

In a perverse way the OP is right. There was a time, not long ago, when an Irishman was considered a terrorist _and_ an immigrant.

Gloomendoom

ciaccino wrote: »

In a perverse way the OP is right. There was a time, not long ago, when an Irishman was considered a terrorist _and_ an immigrant.

Only by few small minded people.

There is no point in immigration control at airports because anyone from Eire can wander across the border and catch a domestic flight or a boat from Northern Ireland.

Biggles

callum9999 wrote: »

Dublin - Stansted isn't a domestic flight (though I know what you mean!).

I'm personally more baffled where those Australians even got landing cards from. They took a load from Ireland and assumed they could use them anywhere?

It was the cabin crew that passed though and anyone not resident in the EU was told to ask for landing cards to fill out.

I had to go through passport control at Dublin when I arrived there as normal and, as far as I recall, have always had to do so on return to the UK. Everyone else seemed surprised, too.

I certainly have never had a bus ride all the way to the terminal building, it's usually a very long walk, so that was much appreciated!

callum9999

Biggles wrote: »

It was the cabin crew that passed though and anyone not resident in the EU was told to ask for landing cards to fill out.

I had to go through passport control at Dublin when I arrived there as normal and, as far as I recall, have always had to do so on return to the UK. Everyone else seemed surprised, too.

I certainly have never had a bus ride all the way to the terminal building, it's usually a very long walk, so that was much appreciated!

Huh. I've never noticed that, but maybe I just ignore them!

As has already been said numerous times, you don't need a passport - just photo ID. Even a bus pass would probably be sufficient.

Unlike in Ireland, there isn't normally a UK identity check (though again - no passport needed, just photo ID), so if you're sure you've gone through one every time before then you must just be very unlucky (or were flying to an airport that doesn't have a segregated system for "domestic" passengers?).

benjus

callum9999 wrote: »

As has already been said numerous times, you don't need a passport - just photo ID. Even a bus pass would probably be sufficient.

I'm aware that airlines require photo ID to travel on any flight at all (and most would probably not accept a bus pass), but I don't think there's any requirement to have photo ID to move between the UK and ROI.

DTDfanBoy

benjus wrote: »

I'm aware that airlines require photo ID to travel on any flight at all (and most would probably not accept a bus pass), but I don't think there's any requirement to have photo ID to move between the UK and ROI.

The CTA only applies to UK and Irish citizens, the Irish insist on photographic ID to determine nationality so you will need to provide a Drivers licence or passport to the Irish authorities when entering Ireland by Air, if you aren't an Irish or UK citizen you will need a passport or national identity card if from the EU.

The UK have taken the other approach, and are happy for anyone to enter the UK from Ireland regardless of nationality.

callum9999

benjus wrote: »

I'm aware that airlines require photo ID to travel on any flight at all (and most would probably not accept a bus pass), but I don't think there's any requirement to have photo ID to move between the UK and ROI.

There isn't, but there is to arrive in Ireland by air.

I know of several people who were accepted with a bus pass (on BA I believe) and looking at Wikipedia (so take with a pinch of salt!) several others like Aer Lingus and Cityjet are listed as accepting bus passes.

Biggles

callum9999 wrote: »

Unlike in Ireland, there isn't normally a UK identity check (though again - no passport needed, just photo ID), so if you're sure you've gone through one every time before then you must just be very unlucky

It's hard to remember, every airport looks the same at that point. But I used to travel to Ireland with an American pal and I do remember having to split up when it came to the 'EU' and 'Non-EU' passport signs. But that was some years ago, maybe all that happened in my queue was that we found an open door and went though it?