The British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) has rejected Government plans to use pilots as guinea pigs for its ID cards scheme, saying, “Promises that ID cards would be voluntary have been broken.”

In a submission to the Government’s consultation on ID cards, BALPA said,

“ID cards have absolutely no value as far as security is concerned… this is nothing but coercion…

“It is clear that the government’s staged introduction of biometric identity cards first to overseas students, then to migrant workers and then for aviation workers represents a way of picking off what is seen as easy or compliant targets.”

BALPA also asks,

“What happens when the first airport worker refuses to register for an ID card? Our understanding from the draft regulations is… that the individual will be out of a job. This could be an individual who has served his or her country as a Service pilot being told they are not now trusted. This is both unacceptable and demeaning and we will resist.”

BALPA sent the management of Manchester airport and London City airport a copy of their submission. These airports are the first two chosen by the Government for trials of ID cards on airside workers – however they have been warned that pilots will not co-operate.

Read more on this story in The Times.

You can sign the Liberal Democrats’ petition against ID cards here.