Which passport to use for return check-in

pieroabcd

HI,
I'm a dual national, UK and EU.
Since I have to go to the US for a week I applied for the ESTA with the EU passport and I did the same for the outgoing check-in.
I'm flying with Virgin Atlantic.

I know that at the border in US I  have to use the EU passport and at the border in the UK the UK one.

Which passport is best to use for the return check-in? I'm beginning to fear that the personnel at the  boarding gate might make stories if I used my EU passport: maybe thet don't know that there's still no requirement to have a visa to enter the UK for EU nationals.
VA doesn't even let me specifty 2 passports.
I can show the UK passport of course, but what's the smoothest way?

Thanks

Slinky

Logic says to me you would use the same passport to leave as arrive, else there's a risk you might not be marked out as leaving, which might cause issues if you go there again?

pieroabcd

uhm right. they keep track of exits too

Brie

Def use the same passport for in and out.  And have the UK one to hand in case there are questions.  When the OH &  I are going through customs we will use the UK residents route and he hands anyone his UK passport along with my non UK one.  Never had a problem. 

DullGreyGuy

You must enter and leave the US on the same passport but having your UK one to show your right to enter the UK indefinitely would be sensible in case you get a silly check in agent. 

At the UK border to get back in it would be sensible to use the UK passport though not strictly necessary. 

PS. Assume your EU isn't an Irish passport.

pieroabcd

Right, not Irish.
At the UK border we must use the UK passport, by law.

Funny that in cases like this the border officers are the non-issue and the the ony people that can create problems are the flight operators because they are totally disconnected from the borders.
Do they work for the flight company (Virgin) or for the airport? 

Grumpy_chap

For the flight, you will need to provide API (Advance Passenger Information).  That will be the same for both flights.  So you need to use the same passport both times.

For the USA, you need to enter on the passport linked to your ESTA (which should be the same as you provide for the API).  When you leave the USA, you need to leave on the passport linked to your ESTA.

eDicky

pieroabcd said:.

Funny that in cases like this the border officers are the non-issue and the the ony people that can create problems are the flight operators because they are totally disconnected from the borders.
Do they work for the flight company (Virgin) or for the airport? 

Check in and boarding gate staff can be employed directly by the airline or outsourced, depending on the airline and airport. Regardless, they are responsible for ensuring that a passenger is eligible to enter the destination country as the airline will be held responsible for the timely return of anyone ineligible, and may be liable to penalties. They are knowledgeable of the criteria involved and have access to relevant data in case of any doubt. In your case I can't see any possible problems if you proceed as envisaged.

400ixl

Any reason you did not apply for your ESTA on your UK passport if you are flying in and out of the UK? You have possibly made it more complicated than it needed to be.

pieroabcd

Right, I should have used the UK one.
No reason, just random choice.

DullGreyGuy

pieroabcd said:

Right, not Irish.
At the UK border we must use the UK passport, by law.

Since when? Have often used my non-UK passport without any issue