Domestic travel Ireland to England

PurpleBerry

How many people here travel a lot between Ireland and England? What is the security like? Do they always check for ID? Would you ever be able to get through with a less offical ID than passport/drivers license? How strict is it?

Sorry for all the questions but my husband and I are going to the UK for a weekend concert soon and he has a drivers license so he's okay but it'd be a nightmare if they stopped me from getting on the plane!!

lynchie

Your airline's website will detail all the acceptable ID's required for travel between Ireland and the UK.

Basically Ryanair require drivers license or passport while Aer Lingus may also accept lesser forms of id for travel to the UK such as student cards, social security cards with photos, even some work ids with photos. Not sure if they still accept them, I'd ring them to be sure.

Davidth88

With whom are you flying ?

Are you saying you have no id at all ? If so , you will not get on an aeroplane with EI/FR/BD. They are strict about this, don't bother trying .

If you have no ID, then go by boat, I have yet to asked on that .

If you are flying EI you will require
* Valid Passport
* Driver’s licence with photo
* International student card
* National ID card / Government issued photo ID cards
* Health Insurance cards with photo / Social security cards with photo
* Bus pass with photo
* Work ID with photo
With FR it's passport or driving licence
With BD I think its passport or driving licence too ( not too sure to be honest )


Sorry FR= Ryanair
EI= Aer Lingus
BD= BMI ( British Midland )

PurpleBerry

Thanks for the answers. I don't know what "EI/FR/BD" is.

I was going to get a National ID Card but I couldn't do this because a) it would take 6 weeks to process and b) I'd need to get a passport in order to get a National ID Card. I didn't want to spend €130 on a passport just to travel to England. (€50 processing fee to get it in time).

I'm flying with Aer Lingus and it does say on the website that they accept Social Welfare Travel Pass with photo, which I have. I guess I'm just a bit worried because my other half has a drivers licence and he'll be okay so if anything goes wrong I'll be in the doghouse. The Social Welfare Travel Pass is an oldish one, it has four passport-sized photos sealed into it, but not printed on it.

Davidth88

I don't know what "EI/FR/BD" is.

See my edited post

It was only after typing this I thought you may not understand that sorry

Phone Aer Lingus

PurpleBerry

Ah, thanks again.

I'm probably worrying about nothing. Sure it says on the website that they accept Travel Passes. I might print out the page and bring it with me.

OPENROAD

I would deffo bring some form of photo id, and also remember you will more than likey have to show some form of photo id coming back through immigration in Dublin even though you have come from London.

Random

OPENROAD wrote: »

I would deffo bring some form of photo id, and also remember you will more than likey have to show some form of photo id coming back through immigration in Dublin even though you have come from London.

Immigration at Dublin I wouldn't worry a bit about to be honest .. once you get over there

CSC

Only my opinion but for the sake of it I'd get a passport. It is expensive but you will have it for 10 years and will save a lot of hassle while travelling.

Latchy

Just recently recieved my brand new irish passport with the new ID encoded chip on cover .Expensive indeed but one less thing to worry about for next ten years of travel

robinph

No id is needed for entering betwen the Uk and Ireland for citizens of either nation. Various forms of id are needed for entry into airports etc though.

Get a passport and you'll never have to worry about it though. Often you just need to wave the red front cover at the immigration official on exiting the airport and off you go, they cannot refuse you at that point anyway. Getting into the airport is just a wave of the boarding pass and appropriate photo ID and thats it, and those guys are just the regular airport "security" not real police or immigration type personnel.

piskins72

you probably wont need it on entry to the UK, but you will on entry back into Dublin, I have flown a good few times this year to Bristol and never been asked there for ID on way out, but always get stuck in a queue in Dublin on the way back at Immigration and they do check every ones ID even for domestic flights!

robinph

The difference there is that the flights landing in Bristol from Dublin are directed down a different path than any other flights so they know they don't need to do any checks on arrival. Unless there is someone specific they are looking for, or the two coppers on duty are bored you don't see them beside their desks in that corridor any more now. When there was things going on up north though they always used to be asking questions and taking pictures of everyone on departure from Bristol though.

In Dublin though the flights from the UK are just released into the terminal with all the other flights from the rest of the EU so they don't know who came from where. You'd be able to get past the passport control there though with a boarding card stating what flight you just came in from though.

Dodge

Bear in mind that Aer Lingus staff in Bristol probably have never seen a social welfare pass before, and it may cause a little delay (at least) if you're checking in.

Oh and for the record, British Midland accept Passport ONLY (Driving license won't cut it)

PurpleBerry

AerLingus say on the website that they accept work ID. I'll bring that with me. I'm going to bring all forms of ID that I have.

lynchie

Dodge wrote: »

Bear in mind that Aer Lingus staff in Bristol probably have never seen a social welfare pass before, and it may cause a little delay (at least) if you're checking in.

Oh and for the record, British Midland accept Passport ONLY (Driving license won't cut it)

Yes they do.. Have used it many times

BMI website wrote:

Acceptable forms of photographic ID include:

* Valid passport
* Valid photographic driver's licence
* Valid photographic EU/EEA or Swiss national identity card
* Valid armed forces identity card
* Valid police warrant card/badge
* Valid airport employees security identity pass
* Valid business photographic ID (Dublin only)

http://www.flybmi.com/bmi/en-ie/planning-and-information/before-you-travel/passport-and-visa/passport-and-visa.aspx

Dodge

Wouldn't accept it from a friend of mine within the last 6 months. E-mail she got specifically stated passport only too (although she didn't read it, having checked before hand...)

piskins72

robinph wrote: »

The difference there is that the flights landing in Bristol from Dublin are directed down a different path than any other flights so they know they don't need to do any checks on arrival. Unless there is someone specific they are looking for, or the two coppers on duty are bored you don't see them beside their desks in that corridor any more now. When there was things going on up north though they always used to be asking questions and taking pictures of everyone on departure from Bristol though.

In Dublin though the flights from the UK are just released into the terminal with all the other flights from the rest of the EU so they don't know who came from where. You'd be able to get past the passport control there though with a boarding card stating what flight you just came in from though.

yeah I did forget about their seperate channel there for UK/Ireland, on return last time when it was Glasto weekend, security there was strict, so they checking things... have to say tho its one of the fastest airports to get out of LOL ... Landed at 7.20 and on bus for Temple Meads by 7.35!!!

robinph

piskins72 wrote: »

yeah I did forget about their seperate channel there for UK/Ireland, on return last time when it was Glasto weekend, security there was strict, so they checking things... have to say tho its one of the fastest airports to get out of LOL ... Landed at 7.20 and on bus for Temple Meads by 7.35!!!

Thats why I tend to go over on the unobvious days for travel to Glasto, don't forget tickets go on pre-sale on 5th October. It is very very quick to get out of Bristol, I get very annoyed lately with getting into it though as they are pretty damn slow dealing with the "security" queues, could just be that I alway hit the peak time in the mornings though. I also hate their departures area as it's way too small for the number of flights they now have, although it is a slight improvement over the old terminal.

piskins72

robinph wrote: »

Thats why I tend to go over on the unobvious days for travel to Glasto, don't forget tickets go on pre-sale on 5th October. It is very very quick to get out of Bristol, I get very annoyed lately with getting into it though as they are pretty damn slow dealing with the "security" queues, could just be that I alway hit the peak time in the mornings though. I also hate their departures area as it's way too small for the number of flights they now have, although it is a slight improvement over the old terminal.

na I wasnt there for that LOL, visiting someone, but yeah this time was the first time I had hit security properly there , all other times pratically straight through no taking off of shoes or belts even!!!, had even been able to get there for 9pm approx for the last flight to DUB for checking in, hmmm I am over today 2 weeks but on last evening flight, I normally go on the 6.30 so its always empty over there at that hour!

dak

robinph wrote: »

No id is needed for entering betwen the Uk and Ireland for citizens of either nation. Various forms of id are needed for entry into airports etc though.

Get a passport and you'll never have to worry about it though. Often you just need to wave the red front cover at the immigration official on exiting the airport and off you go, they cannot refuse you at that point anyway. Getting into the airport is just a wave of the boarding pass and appropriate photo ID and thats it, and those guys are just the regular airport "security" not real police or immigration type personnel.

Sorry to correct you but In Dublin many of the immigration personnel who check passports are regular Gardai.

robinph

dak wrote: »

Sorry to correct you but In Dublin many of the immigration personnel who check passports are regular Gardai.

Re-read what I'd said.

Immigration on landing in Dublin = state employee Gardai type person with powers of arrest/ detention/ refusal of entry to the state or whatever.

Person checking boarding card on entering the airport inorder to get a flight out of Ireland = airport employee, only power is to say bugger off or call the proper airport police if there is something else amiss.

dak

robinph wrote: »

Re-read what I'd said.

Immigration on landing in Dublin = state employee Gardai type person with powers of arrest/ detention/ refusal of entry to the state or whatever.

Person checking boarding card on entering the airport inorder to get a flight out of Ireland = airport employee, only power is to say bugger off or call the proper airport police if there is something else amiss.

Apologies ! My mistake ! Heads off to Opticians to get new glasses !

Fratton Fred

Get a passport, it makes life so much easier.

Ryanair are actually the strictest, they insist on either a passport or a national ID card and they check them closely.

Aer Lingus and BMI aren't too strict as long as you have a photo. Your biggest problem will be getting through immigration in Dublin without a passport.

If you are flying to Heathrow then the only time you will be required to show photo ID is at the bording gate as there is no immigration control on arrival.

I'd still get a passport though.

Forgot to say, phone (or email) the airline. If you email them, take a copy of the reply to the airport with you. check in online as well as you will have less arguements at the gate than at check in.