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Ryanair new immigration?

Wednesday, 29 July 2009

At a time when some in the British security establishment fear government cutbacks may affect operations, it would appear that they may have a new, albeit unlikely, ally — Ryanair.

On a recent flight from England to Northern Ireland, my wife, who travels on a non-EU passport, which she displayed, was refused entrance to the plane because her passport (for purely administrative reasons) does not contain her visa of permanent residence in the UK.

She was under the misapprehension that because NI is part of the UK, this was an internal flight, rather than one where ‘international’ travel doc

umentation is required. To the best of our knowledge, no other airlines flying into Northern Ireland impose such rigid criteria. Ryanair — the border police of tomorrow?

GROUNDED

Nottingham

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I can't imagine Ryanair would be in any more trouble for carrying an "illegal" internally than Translink or a Valucabs.

I think it is probably another case of an English person not being fully aware of our cherished (or detested!) place within the UK and outside the Irish Republic.

Posted by bigchiefally | 29.07.09, 14:11 GMT

Should have had the visa attached so Ryanair are correct for a change.

Posted by robbo | 29.07.09, 14:09 GMT

Once agin "micky lippy o'leary" is trying to make a name for himself...how sad how very very sad

Posted by Robert W | 29.07.09, 12:51 GMT

Grounded you have my sympathy, the Belfast international airport check in staff are a joke as well. My wife has a UK passport now but she was here for 6 years on a right to remain work permit and whenever we went to Italy/Spain, we rightly had to get the correct documents which we always did. We knew more about the process than the check in staff, but I blame the management, makes you realise what a backward place this really is.

Posted by rn | 29.07.09, 12:27 GMT

Ryanair would of course carry the can in respect of bringing in or moving people who are not EU citizens. Entitlement to permanent residence in UK -a visa missing from her passport 'for purely administrative reasons' sounds very strange. I shall have more confidence in future flying Ryanair.

Posted by Malachy McAnespie | 29.07.09, 11:17 GMT