UK border chief warns London City Airport is gateway to ‘high-risk’ private jet arrivals in Britain
“High-risk” passengers arriving in Britain on private jets are slipping into the country without security checks via London City Airport, the chief inspector of borders and immigration has warned.
In an interview, David Neil warned he had found dangerous failings at the City hub. Home Office data revealed the UK border force had failed to adequately check passengers in hundreds of private jets arriving last year.
Neil told the Daily Mail that just 21 per cent of general aviation flights classified as high risk had been inspected by London City Airport’s immigration officers. Border Force are supposed to check 100 per cent of general aviation flights in that category.
He also raised concerns the issues could be widespread at other UK hubs which are used by private jet flyers.
Flights categorised as “low risk” should be checked 30 per cent of the time, but just 9.7 per cent flying into London City were last year, according to the inspector.
“This is a scandal, and incredibly dangerous for this country’s border security,” Neal said. “There should now be a rapid independent inspection of general aviation across the country.”
In a statement, the Home Office “categorically” rejected Neal’s claims and described the data provided as “misleading.”
A spokesperson said: “Mr Neal’s report into general aviation border checks at London City Airport was submitted last week and underwent fact checking, as is standard practice.
“We made Mr Neal aware of a specific issue with the recording of data at London City Airport, which meant that a large proportion of flights recorded as high-risk should have been re-classified as low-risk.
“It is disappointing that Mr Neal has chosen to put misleading data into the public domain. The Home Office’s priority is to deliver a safe and secure border and we will never compromise on this.”
Neal has clashed with the government on a wide range of issues in his role as chief inspector. Downing Street blocked his reappointmant to the position in April.
Emails exposed by OpenDemocracy revealed Home Office officials had branded the UK’s chief immigration inspector “excessively critical” before he got the axe.
Neil said last year that the Home Office had attempted to water down a report concerning the department’s “inexcusably awful” handling of Channel migrant crossings.
A formal government to the debacle at London City will be issued in due course.