Flying Domestically With BA? Photo ID Is Required From The 1st September

From the 1st of September BA is making a major change to its rules on ID required when flying domestically with BA. Currently it is suggested that you should carry photo ID with you but it’s not compulsory…

What ID do I require when flying domestically with BA?

The new rules can be found on the BA website here – https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/passports-visas-and-api – though they don’t come into force until the 1st of September.

You do not require a passport to travel within the UK, but you will need to carry one type of photographic ID when travelling with us. Examples include:

• Valid passport
• Valid driving license, either provisional or full
• Valid EU national identity card
• Valid armed forces identity card
• Valid police warrant card or badge

Children under the age of 16 do not need to show identification when travelling on domestic flights. The adult they are travelling with must travel with photographic identification and be able to confirm their identity.

Children aged 14 and 15 years who are flying alone will need to show identification when travelling on domestic flights. Find more information on the requirements for young flyers travelling alone, including a copy of our consent form.

What are the old/current rules for flying domestically with BA?

The old/current rules for flying domestically with BA (these were removed recently from the website) are…

If you are flying solely within the UK, including Northern Ireland, you do not need a passport but we advise that you carry photographic identification with you when travelling, such as your passport or driving licence. This may be requested at certain points in your journey. Children under the age of 16 years do not require identification to travel within the UK.

There unfortunately appears to be very little communication to date of this change of policy from BA. Lets hope if customers have an upcoming domestic flight they are made aware of this policy change before they get to the airport…

Conclusion

It’s not clear why BA have changed the rules when UK aviation security regulations do not require a passenger’s identity to be checked for security purposes prior to boarding a domestic flight (similarly to boarding a domestic train/bus.) This shift brings BA inline with other carriers offering domestic flights in the UK. You can find out more on BA’s website here – https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/passports-visas-and-api