Interesting system to filter arrivals from CI at "new" T2 Manchester

[Howardh]

In the past, on arrival passengers have had to board a coach and be taken to a gate between immigration and customs, as arrivals from the Channel Isles do not need immigration checks, but have to go through customs.

However on Monday, on arrival, we went directly off the plane into the terminal via a gate which took our photo, and then joined to corridor for all non-UK/domestic arrivals - so kind of expecting to go to a manned gate and show my photo ID and ticket from Jersey! However, on approach to the e-gates for passport holders, we have our own separate entrance (on the left) where a gate simply re-takes our photo and through we go - no scanning of ID card or anything.

Then through customs like everyone else!

Quite a nice little work-around to prevent the need for coaches and separate entrances, however one question remains, if you arrive from a domestic airport (eg Heathrow) then customs aren't required, where do they go, are they bussed to arrivals (separate baggage reclaim) bypassing immigration/customs?

 

[Cloud Strife]

if you arrive from a domestic airport (eg Heathrow) then customs aren't required, where do they go, are they bussed to arrivals (separate baggage reclaim) bypassing immigration/customs?

I believe they're bussed to T3 for domestic baggage reclaim, unless they're using gates 144/145 and 148/150. It seems that there's been quite a bit of nonsense involving passengers arriving at T2 and then having to take a bus to domestic baggage reclaim in T3 recently. I'm not sure if other gates in T3 have direct access to domestic arrivals.

With the new system in T2, I've been told that this is to allow for passengers to be directed towards passport control if there's a reason for it. It means it can be done automatically by UK Border Force by simply not having the bypass gate available, or if the systems detect that someone is wanted for whatever reason, they can be refused entry through the second gate. Apparently this system is likely to be used when Stansted is redeveloped, so that everyone (except the couple of domestic flights) can mix freely in the arrival corridors without requiring buses or other separation for CTA travellers.

 

[nwales58]

Also, BA at T2 is different. See the Manchester flamewar thread on PPrune if you have the energy to read it all.

 

[Starmill]

With the new system in T2, I've been told that this is to allow for passengers to be directed towards passport control if there's a reason for it. It means it can be done automatically by UK Border Force by simply not having the bypass gate available, or if the systems detect that someone is wanted for whatever reason, they can be refused entry through the second gate. Apparently this system is likely to be used when Stansted is redeveloped, so that everyone (except the couple of domestic flights) can mix freely in the arrival corridors without requiring buses or other separation for CTA travellers.

The problem with the system is that there has to be a workaround to an international arrivals hall, because a UK arrival may not be carrying their passport. Technically any passenger from the Common Travel Area who is a citizen doesn't need to be able to show a passport, but certainly for practical reasons, an arrival from another UK airport such as Belfast, London, Aberdeen etc can't be required to show a passport.

Without the facial capture at the aircraft, two passengers could arrive simultaneously and swap boarding cards. Then someone arriving from outside the CTA would gain entry to the UK without showing their passport. The UK government are obsessed with "controls on migration" and whatever, so this would never be allowed.

Apparently British Airways has sensibly decided that forcing 300 people to queue for a facial capture in the corridor off the aircraft is for the birds and won't do it. Hence the bus which has to be accessed via a service corridor.

 

[Howardh]

The problem with the system is that there has to be a workaround to an international arrivals hall, because a UK arrival may not be carrying their passport. Technically any passenger from the Common Travel Area who is a citizen doesn't need to be able to show a passport, but certainly for practical reasons, an arrival from another UK airport such as Belfast, London, Aberdeen etc can't be required to show a passport.

Without the facial capture at the aircraft, two passengers could arrive simultaneously and swap boarding cards. Then someone arriving from outside the CTA would gain entry to the UK without showing their passport. The UK government are obsessed with "controls on migration" and whatever, so this would never be allowed.

Apparently British Airways has sensibly decided that forcing 300 people to queue for a facial capture in the corridor off the aircraft is for the birds and won't do it. Hence the bus which has to be accessed via a service corridor.

One of the major reasons I visit the Channel Islands is the lack of faff when arriving back, I don't recall ever showing any ID on return. So no queues...if it gets to the situation where we have to take a passport and queue to go through an egate (same as or similar to foreign immigration, not sectioned off as now) at T2 then, well, might as well go abroad instead.
Worried that it might happen if, say, Jersey want to do what Gibraltar did and "join" Schengen, but that's for another thread.
Meanwhile I'm happy with the current arrangement, it neatly means we don't get bussed - that can take substantial time - however it is a very long walk from the gate to "immigration" and no moving walkways.
I understand T2 is still under development so that might change?

 

[185143]

One of the major reasons I visit the Channel Islands is the lack of faff when arriving back, I don't recall ever showing any ID on return. So no queues...if it gets to the situation where we have to take a passport and queue to go through an egate (same as or similar to foreign immigration, not sectioned off as now) at T2 then, well, might as well go abroad instead.
Worried that it might happen if, say, Jersey want to do what Gibraltar did and "join" Schengen, but that's for another thread.
Meanwhile I'm happy with the current arrangement, it neatly means we don't get bussed - that can take substantial time - however it is a very long walk from the gate to "immigration" and no moving walkways.
I understand T2 is still under development so that might change?

I did wonder what would happen on the ferry back from Guernsey on Monday. ID was checked at check in both ways.

But the ship came from St. Malo and did carry passengers for the whole crossing. The ship was alongside Guernsey for around an hour so I assume everyone had to disembark and clear UK immigration in Guernsey, despite not strictly being in the UK yet. There was UK Border Force signage in the terminal at Guernsey on arrival from Pompey, but no officers were present from either Customs or Border Force.

On arrival in Poole, we just walked through the unstaffed passport channels. Customs were present but I didn't see them stop anyone.

 

[Howardh]

I did wonder what would happen on the ferry back from Guernsey on Monday. ID was checked at check in both ways.

But the ship came from St. Malo and did carry passengers for the whole crossing. The ship was alongside Guernsey for around an hour so I assume everyone had to disembark and clear UK immigration in Guernsey, despite not strictly being in the UK yet. There was UK Border Force signage in the terminal at Guernsey on arrival from Pompey, but no officers were present from either Customs or Border Force.

On arrival in Poole, we just walked through the unstaffed passport channels. Customs were present but I didn't see them stop anyone.

Anyone arriving from the continent into Jersey or Guernsey should be processed there, so any forward movement into the UK wouldn't need any further processing.
My flight from Jersey to Manchester; I wasn't asked or showed ID and those in front of me didn't either.
Strange as you should to board an aircraft - even a fully UK domestic one - but that's for security rather than immigration!
Anyone flying into Jersey from non-CTA ports would have to go through immigration - I've seen the desks!
Point is, anyone arriving in Manchester shouldn't be required to show ID and the face scan on arrival, and at immigration, proved you were on an CTA internal flight.

 

[Starmill]

I wasn't asked or showed ID and those in front of me didn't either.
Strange as you should to board an aircraft - even a fully UK domestic one - but that's for security rather than immigration!

It is very common that this requirement is ignored by poorly paid airport staff. Many just scan a boarding pass and as long as someone doesn't try to scan the same one multiple times...

 

[Howardh]

It is very common that this requirement is ignored by poorly paid airport staff. Many just scan a boarding pass and as long as someone doesn't try to scan the same one multiple times...

Also, one assumes, if the plane is running late and they need to get the pax on as fast as they can! Maybe running late because they were checking those at the front first...ticket/ID/bag size rtc!

 

[Starmill]

Also, one assumes, if the plane is running late and they need to get the pax on as fast as they can! Maybe running late because they were checking those at the front first...ticket/ID/bag size rtc!

Yup. Even a Ryanair-style baggage policy is so often not enforced for such reasons.

 

[308165]

The situation with CTA arrivals at Manchester is total farce. An arrival in January from Dublin at T2 involved a bus, followed by a long wait at an entrance through which we were eventually admitted, then two lots of facial scanning then freedom. However this is not new, I had the same issues two years ago at T1 (minus facial scanning). All this means that onwards connections by rail can't be planned with any certainty.

Contrast this with Liverpool or Gatwick where plane to freedom can be achieved in 10 to 15 minutes easily.

But this is part of a wider pattern of Manchester Airport disliking its passengers.

 

[Tetchytyke]

My flight from Jersey to Manchester; I wasn't asked or showed ID and those in front of me didn't either.
Strange as you should to board an aircraft - even a fully UK domestic one - but that's for security rather than immigration!

It is very common that this requirement is ignored by poorly paid airport staff. Many just scan a boarding pass and as long as someone doesn't try to scan the same one multiple times...

There's no legal requirement for people to provide photographic ID when flying domestically. It is purely an airline policy as to whether they require photographic ID and, if so, in which circumstances.

Gate staff will, in my experience, generally only ask for photographic ID if you have checked in hold luggage.

The situation with CTA arrivals at Manchester is total farce. An arrival in January from Dublin at T2 involved a bus, followed by a long wait at an entrance through which we were eventually admitted, then two lots of facial scanning then freedom. However this is not new, I had the same issues two years ago at T1 (minus facial scanning). All this means that onwards connections by rail can't be planned with any certainty.

There are two ways of entering the biometric arrivals process at Manchester. Certain contact gates have the biometric scanners so you are scanned as you get off the plane and then scanned again at the passport control bypass. I think the contact gates are primarily used by Aer Lingus mainline.

If you're not at one of these contact gates, then it is a bus to the biometric door in the B gates bus station.

The process is a pain in the backside and I have ranted about it on here before, and on FlyerTalk. The arrivals in T3 from Loganair was always very quick, but the new process is the exact opposite. That said, domestic/CTA arrivals in T1 were always bussed to a specific door, even from a contact stand, so not that much has really changed.

BA don't use the biometric route and so BA arrivals will always be bussed to a specific door.

 

[Howardh]

There's no legal requirement for people to provide photographic ID when flying domestically. It is purely an airline policy as to whether they require photographic ID and, if so, in which circumstances.

Gate staff will, in my experience, generally only ask for photographic ID if you have checked in hold luggage.


There are two ways of entering the biometric arrivals process at Manchester. Certain contact gates have the biometric scanners so you are scanned as you get off the plane and then scanned again at the passport control bypass. I think the contact gates are primarily used by Aer Lingus mainline.

If you're not at one of these contact gates, then it is a bus to the biometric door in the B gates bus station.

The process is a pain in the backside and I have ranted about it on here before, and on FlyerTalk. The arrivals in T3 from Loganair was always very quick, but the new process is the exact opposite. That said, domestic/CTA arrivals in T1 were always bussed to a specific door, even from a contact stand, so not that much has really changed.

BA don't use the biometric route and so BA arrivals will always be bussed to a specific door.

Manchester could have it's own domestic terminal, think there are enough flights to justify that, however the onward, or incoming, flight is often from outside the UK so that creates issues.

Think the T2 arrangements are satisfactory if the darned corridors weren't so long! There are facilities though on the walk which helps!

But on saying that, I miss the days when you walked off the plane straight to baggage without fuss.