Unless a boarding pass and photo ID are matched up at the point dividing landside and airside, or all airlines perform matching of passport details against national Govt databases at the time of online check-in, I struggle to see how asking for visual inspection of a boarding pass alone assists in stopping anyone from going airside. The only benefit I can see is to keep those who are incompetent away from airside, or want to go airside with less than a few hours of planning.
Using cash, buy a prepaid payment card with a spending limit under £650 - no proof of ID or address required.
Top it up at the local minimart with some cash - again, no proof of ID required.
Use the prepaid card to book a flight on the required date under a false identity.
Check in online under said false name, giving a fake passport number - perhaps choose to be a citizen of an EU country whose ID system is less computerised - maybe Bulgaria ?
Carry only some innocent looking hand baggage - anything dangerous like nail scissors will still be caught at security.
Take boarding pass under said false name to Gatwick, and wave it at anyone in a yellow hi-vis jacket who asks to see it.
You can't get on an aircraft, but you're now in the airside part of Gatwick with no record of your real identity.
Yes, there are cameras everywhere, but unless someone's face is on record for bad behaviour in the past, facial recognition will not automatically identify the person as suspicious.
So where does the system stop my plan from working ?
Last edited by davidjohnson6; 17th Oct 2012 at 11:05.