ID cards: aviation industry a political pawn say airline bosses

Dan Milmo
London Guardian
Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Britain’s leading airline bosses have accused the government of using their industry as a political pawn in the national identity card debate by forcing aviation workers to join the scheme next year.

In a scathing letter to the home secretary, Jacqui Smith, the chief executives of British Airways, easyJet, Virgin Atlantic and BMI said that forcing airport workers to have an ID card from November next year was “unnecessary” and “unjustified”.

All airport airside workers, who work in departure areas and on runways, must enrol in the scheme from next year under government plans, but the aviation industry is claiming it will bring no security benefits.

“First and foremost, no additional security benefits have been identified. Indeed, there is a real risk that enrolment in the national ID scheme will be seen to provide an added, but ultimately false, sense of security to our processes,” said the British Air Transport Association (Bata) letter, signed by airline bosses including Willie Walsh of British Airways and Andy Harrison of easyJet.

It also accused the government of singling out the industry for politically motivated reasons, contradicting previous pledges that the scheme would be voluntary.

“This supports our view that the UK aviation industry is being used for political purposes on a project which has questionable public support,” said Bata.

The first wave of the ID card scheme will see the cards becoming compulsory for non-EU foreign nationals living in Britain this year, and for 200,000 airport workers and Olympic security staff from next year.

Full article here.

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7 Responses to “ID cards: aviation industry a political pawn say airline bosses”

1. Duncan Murray Says:
   July 2nd, 2008 at 8:32 pm

   The airlines are wasting their time complaining about this. Just refuse to do it! Bring in a policy of non cooperation.Then what can the government do? Close down the airports? I don’t think so.

2. ltigattack Says:
   July 3rd, 2008 at 2:49 am

   halt.
   Show me your papers.

3. sniffer Says:
   July 3rd, 2008 at 3:48 am

   here here duncan!!!!

4. borneveryminute Says:
   July 3rd, 2008 at 4:59 am

   Then what can the government do?
   Execute someone horribly for not complying with common purpose ?
   Ooo La La.. Rivet…Rivet..

5. Derek Says:
   July 3rd, 2008 at 6:56 am

   Just crazy – for foreign nationals, duh … has anyone ever heard of a passport? Passports can obviously be faked, but so will these new cards be eventually. Just total insanity.

6. mikehughes Says:
   July 3rd, 2008 at 8:03 am

   It seems the thin end of the wedge has finally surfaced

7. mike lee Says:
   July 3rd, 2008 at 12:03 pm

   Excuse me Sir would you please show me your papers …I see you only have clearance to be in a Blue collar area at this time of night but you are in a Predominantly White collar area after curfew ?? ..Could you please explain your actions ?? “Blip” ( Out comes the Bar code zapper on the back of the ID Card )..This infringement has been logged and noted to Central Fines HQ Common Purpose …A fine or Court appearance will be forth coming …May i remind you of our 3 “Blips and OUT Policy” ..If you hurry you may be able to catch the last Apartheid Bus home .Please be sure not to deviate from the Blue Collar route as Proposed by the last Common Purpose Edict …