Thousands of European airline staff are being trained to stop people boarding flights to Britain without valid visas, in a move billed by the foreign secretary as a digital upgrade to border controls.
David Lammy said the measures marked a step towards “more secure, more digital and more effective” borders, but the move could raise questions about human rights safeguards.
More than 9,000 airline workers at carriers including Wizz Air, Jet2 and Lufthansa, have undertaken training to verify UK visa documents at departure gates in 39 countries, including those on major transit routes for irregular migration such as Greece, Malta, Italy and Albania.
The scheme, delivered by the Foreign Office, deputises airline workers as frontline immigration officers, blocking passengers from even attempting to travel without the correct paperwork.
The training is part of the broader rollout of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) and eVisa system, which requires travellers – including many EU citizens – to pre-register before entering the UK.
It represents a significant overhaul to UK border controls and is now being touted as a key aspect of Labour’s immigration crackdown.
Lammy said: “Tackling irregular migration demands cooperation across borders and industries to disrupt the pathways used by those attempting to enter the UK illegally. We’re sending a clear message – air travel simply isn’t an option without proper authorisation and registration.”
The initiative could attract scrutiny from civil liberties groups that express concern over legitimate travellers, especially asylum seekers, and would outsource critical immigration decisions to private airline staff.
It comes as Labour seek to outflank Reform UK on border control and respond to what the party believes is public anxiety over uncontrolled immigration. Keir Starmer is seeking to maintain a hard rhetorical line, with returns and enforcement appearing to be central to his government’s approach.
The eVisa system, which replaces physical ID with digital status checks, allows the government to update and track individuals’ immigration status in real time. Ministers say this will make it easier to take enforcement action against overstayers and enable landlords, employers and service providers to verify people’s rights in the UK more easily.
British Airways said the training had been helpful for its staff, making them feel “more confident and prepared” to implement the system. But campaigners said the policy raises questions about accountability, particularly in cases where boarding is denied in error.
According to official statistics, 30,000 people have been returned under current policies, with a 23% rise in enforced returns and a 14% increase in deportations of foreign offenders since the 2024 general election.
Diplomats have been instructed to promote the ETA scheme directly to European governments, while a public information campaign is being rolled out to alert EU citizens about the new travel rules.
A British Airways spokesperson said: “As a carrier, this kind of insight is extremely useful and absolutely critical for us as it will guide us in how to process our customer whilst complying with the UK laws. Our stations feel more confident and prepared in using the ETA/eVisa system.”