Airport mishap: Over 1,000 people have entered the UK without getting their passports checked

More than 1,000 passengers entering the UK over the last three years have sidestepped passport controls, according to the Home Office. Airport blunders accidentally sent passengers who had just arrived to the UK the wrong way through terminal buildings.

Home Office figures show 574 passengers slipped into the country in this way this year, a huge increase from the 142 in 2021 and 420 in 2020. It is thought that some of these passengers that were misdirected will be found and brought back through passport control but it is admitted that some are able to leave the airport without being checked.

Alp Mehmet, Chairman of Migrationwatch UK, said the figures are “disquieting” but “for once, the Home Office is not to blame.” He said: “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 to take hold in the way it appears to have regarding these serious lapses.”

Airlines and airports have the responsibility for correctly directing international passengers towards immigration control. They can be fined for any mistakes, which are often caused by human error when the wrong doors are left open at the arrival gates. Mistakes like these cause passengers to slip around the normal passport and immigration controls.

An Airport Operators Association spokesperson said the figures do not represent a “major issue” as “these numbers make up 1/4000th of one per cent of the total number of passengers handled by UK airports over this time.” The spokesperson added: “They are a result of ordinary passengers taking a wrong turn, and once the mistake has been noted it is corrected in most cases, with them then going through passport control. Airports, of course, constantly monitor their procedures and are always seeking continuous improvement, and will do so in this case, but we must keep these things in perspective.”

A Home Office spokesperson told The Sun that it does “not comment on operational matters.”

In May passport e-gates failed at all airports across the country after the system went down overnight. At the time Manchester Airport issued a statement stating that ther was a “nationwide issue impacting all UK Border Force e-Gates” meaning that passengers had “to be processed manually at immigration.”

The airport added: “Our team is working with UK Border Force to support their operations and minimise disruption. We greatly appreciate your understanding and cooperation during this time and apologise for any impact caused to your journey.”