A British Airways worker is on the run in India after charging customers £25,000 to use a loophole to fly to the UK.
The 24-year-old supervisor, who was working at Heathrowâs Terminal 5, supposedly charged the fee to ensure customers could fly with BA without vital visa documents.
Police have been in contact with Indian officials to hunt down the suspect.
The worker disappeared alongside his BA ground services partner after being arrested and bailed.
British Airways flight taking off in the heat at Heathrow Airport
PA
The scam included the man getting clients, mostly from India, to fly to the UK on a temporary visitor visa where he arranged for them to jet elsewhere.
Other customers included UK-based asylum claimants who feared being returned to their country of origin.
Following BA flights to Toronto and Vancouver, Canadian authorities raised an alarm about arrivals immediately declaring asylum.
A probe found all were checked in by the same man who falsely verified the travellers had an electronic travel authorisation to enter a chosen country.
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Crowds wait for details of their flights at Heathrow Terminal five
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An electronic travel authorisation can be obtained by a passenger only in their country of origin.
It would have been rejected without the BA supervisorâs help.
The man was arrested on January 6 but was soon put on bail.
He flew to India, where he has bought several homes, from Heathrow soon after.
People at Border Control in Terminal Five of London’s Heathrow Airport
PA
A source told The Sun: âHe exploited a loophole knowing that immigration checks are no longer carried out by officials but are left to airline staff.
âBy inputting wrong data, and claiming eTA documents had been secured, he got people to countries they had no permission to enter in the first place.
âOn arrival, the bogus passengers would shred their documents and claim asylum.
âMany jetted to Britain to pay him to get them to Canada.
âOthers had been stuck in the UK immigration system for up to 10 years, and feared being sent back to their country of origin.
âIt was an ingenious plan which has made him millions over the years.
âNo-one knows yet the full extent of whatâs gone on.â
The supervisor and his partner had their contracts terminated by BA, the airline has confirmed.
A spokesman said: âWeâre assisting the authorities with their investigation.â
