11-Jul-2011 11:24 AM
Concerns over UK-Ireland travel rules
London Stansted Airport officials are reportedly concerned about the current passport-free travel rules between Ireland and the UK, which they believe can be exploited by illegal immigrants, criminals and extremists to gain entry to the UK (The Irish Times, 11-Jul-2011). Currently, passengers arriving from Ireland at Stansted mix with other passengers before reaching immigration checks. Irish passengers, however, are not checked by immigration due to the Common Travel Area (CTA) agreement. Irish passengers present their boarding cards and are granted entry to the UK via a channel next to immigration.