Pilots to bail out on ID cards

The majority of pilots in the UK do not want ID cards and will fight plans to force them onto air crews.

A survey of 10,000 pilots by the British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) found 60 per cent were opposed to ID cards and Balpa has pledged to battle the rollout of the cards to pilots "with every lawful means at our disposal".

All new airside workers in the UK will be required to have an ID card, starting with staff and crew at Manchester and London City airports this Autumn.

A spokesman for Balpa said: "If pilots do not get a card they will lose their job, it goes against what Parliament has been told about the cards not being compulsory.

"Pilots do not think it will improve security and think the scheme is a waste of money and do not trust the government with their details."

Balpa says it continues to consult its lawyers over what legal action could be taken to fight the rollout of the cards to pilots.

An Identity and Passport Service spokeswoman said: "Balpa have come to us with their concerns and we have spoken to them a number of times about how we can work with industry to resolve these.

"Identity cards will directly benefit airside workers - not just by improving personnel security, but also by speeding up pre-employment checks and increasing the efficiency of pass-issuing arrangements, making it easier for these workers to take up their posts and move from one airside job to another."

She said the government was working out how to gradually rollout the requirement to hold an ID card to all UK airside workers.