PQ - Graham Stringer : which airlines have refused to carry out deportations - 09/11/10
Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which airlines have declined to carry passengers being deported from the UK by the UK Border Agency. [22208]
Damian Green [holding answer 8 November 2010]: Airlines have a legal obligation to carry passengers being removed from the UK under the 1971 Immigration Act. This includes cases where the airline has been identified as the inbound carrier and cases where removal is to be carried out at public expense.
Historically, almost all airlines will have refused to carry an individual on the basis of highly disruptive behaviour and/or violence prior to take off. The captain of the aircraft has authority to take that decision under the Tokyo Convention. It is not possible therefore to provide an exhaustive list given the volume of enforced removals effected by UK Border Agency (UKBA) (19,570 during 2009). In cases where an individual is offloaded, UKBA will work with the airline to rearrange the removal, including looking at alternative carriers, additional escorts, or the use of charters.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 17 November 2010 06:31