Background Checks + Airside Passes
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 94
Likes: 11
From: Ireland
Background Checks + Airside Passes
Hi all. I am still at the student stage (starting the Ryanair mentored APS-MCC in 1.5 months), but lots of free time has got me thinking about background checks needed to get an airside pass. Basically, I can fully account from 2014 until 2023 as either a student or in full time work. I can likely get references from all those places.
My problem is this year. I finished my CPL/ ME-IR a couple of months ago with not too much time before my ATPL exams expired. Since then I have been living at 'home' studying all the things I forgot (too many to count), preparing and doing the AON online assessment, chilling, and overthinking obviously. I haven't signed on for any benefits.
I know for an airside pass in the UK, they don't allow gaps of more than 28 days without a reference for the previous five years. My issue is my parents moved a very long way from where I grew up - like a totally different country for my father's job. So I know nobody here and they know very few people. Relatives can't give references as well.
How does it work in that case for references? It must be pretty common in the pilot world to have gaps of more than 28 days between courses and for things to happen in different countries. Could someone at home give a reference?
Also, for overseas police checks, does the airline normally do these or does it expect the candidate to do them?
Any advice or help would be appreciated for this overthinker.
My problem is this year. I finished my CPL/ ME-IR a couple of months ago with not too much time before my ATPL exams expired. Since then I have been living at 'home' studying all the things I forgot (too many to count), preparing and doing the AON online assessment, chilling, and overthinking obviously. I haven't signed on for any benefits.
I know for an airside pass in the UK, they don't allow gaps of more than 28 days without a reference for the previous five years. My issue is my parents moved a very long way from where I grew up - like a totally different country for my father's job. So I know nobody here and they know very few people. Relatives can't give references as well.
How does it work in that case for references? It must be pretty common in the pilot world to have gaps of more than 28 days between courses and for things to happen in different countries. Could someone at home give a reference?
Also, for overseas police checks, does the airline normally do these or does it expect the candidate to do them?
Any advice or help would be appreciated for this overthinker.
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
From: the moon
Don't worry about it mate, it's largely a box ticking exercise. For gaps you just get pretty much anyone as a personal reference.
I tied myself in knots about an old careless driving conviction when I was doing my ATPL but it never affected me in the slightest.
I tied myself in knots about an old careless driving conviction when I was doing my ATPL but it never affected me in the slightest.
Hi all. I am still at the student stage (starting the Ryanair mentored APS-MCC in 1.5 months), but lots of free time has got me thinking about background checks needed to get an airside pass. Basically, I can fully account from 2014 until 2023 as either a student or in full time work. I can likely get references from all those places.
My problem is this year. I finished my CPL/ ME-IR a couple of months ago with not too much time before my ATPL exams expired. Since then I have been living at 'home' studying all the things I forgot (too many to count), preparing and doing the AON online assessment, chilling, and overthinking obviously. I haven't signed on for any benefits.
I know for an airside pass in the UK, they don't allow gaps of more than 28 days without a reference for the previous five years. My issue is my parents moved a very long way from where I grew up - like a totally different country for my father's job. So I know nobody here and they know very few people. Relatives can't give references as well.
How does it work in that case for references? It must be pretty common in the pilot world to have gaps of more than 28 days between courses and for things to happen in different countries. Could someone at home give a reference?
Also, for overseas police checks, does the airline normally do these or does it expect the candidate to do them?
Any advice or help would be appreciated for this overthinker.
My problem is this year. I finished my CPL/ ME-IR a couple of months ago with not too much time before my ATPL exams expired. Since then I have been living at 'home' studying all the things I forgot (too many to count), preparing and doing the AON online assessment, chilling, and overthinking obviously. I haven't signed on for any benefits.
I know for an airside pass in the UK, they don't allow gaps of more than 28 days without a reference for the previous five years. My issue is my parents moved a very long way from where I grew up - like a totally different country for my father's job. So I know nobody here and they know very few people. Relatives can't give references as well.
How does it work in that case for references? It must be pretty common in the pilot world to have gaps of more than 28 days between courses and for things to happen in different countries. Could someone at home give a reference?
Also, for overseas police checks, does the airline normally do these or does it expect the candidate to do them?
Any advice or help would be appreciated for this overthinker.
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 107
Likes: 1
From: Dublin
Hi all. I am still at the student stage (starting the Ryanair mentored APS-MCC in 1.5 months), but lots of free time has got me thinking about background checks needed to get an airside pass. Basically, I can fully account from 2014 until 2023 as either a student or in full time work. I can likely get references from all those places.
My problem is this year. I finished my CPL/ ME-IR a couple of months ago with not too much time before my ATPL exams expired. Since then I have been living at 'home' studying all the things I forgot (too many to count), preparing and doing the AON online assessment, chilling, and overthinking obviously. I haven't signed on for any benefits.
I know for an airside pass in the UK, they don't allow gaps of more than 28 days without a reference for the previous five years. My issue is my parents moved a very long way from where I grew up - like a totally different country for my father's job. So I know nobody here and they know very few people. Relatives can't give references as well.
How does it work in that case for references? It must be pretty common in the pilot world to have gaps of more than 28 days between courses and for things to happen in different countries. Could someone at home give a reference?
Also, for overseas police checks, does the airline normally do these or does it expect the candidate to do them?
Any advice or help would be appreciated for this overthinker.
My problem is this year. I finished my CPL/ ME-IR a couple of months ago with not too much time before my ATPL exams expired. Since then I have been living at 'home' studying all the things I forgot (too many to count), preparing and doing the AON online assessment, chilling, and overthinking obviously. I haven't signed on for any benefits.
I know for an airside pass in the UK, they don't allow gaps of more than 28 days without a reference for the previous five years. My issue is my parents moved a very long way from where I grew up - like a totally different country for my father's job. So I know nobody here and they know very few people. Relatives can't give references as well.
How does it work in that case for references? It must be pretty common in the pilot world to have gaps of more than 28 days between courses and for things to happen in different countries. Could someone at home give a reference?
Also, for overseas police checks, does the airline normally do these or does it expect the candidate to do them?
Any advice or help would be appreciated for this overthinker.
You’d be expected to get the overseas police checks done yourself. If you’re no longer living there you can even do this now or when you’re about to leave as an overseas check remains valid as long as you don’t go back to live there. You will also need to have these translated (some languages may have a template online for this, otherwise you’ll likely need to pay a translator)
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 94
Likes: 11
From: Ireland
Thanks for the advice above both. So it doesn't need to be a friend who knows you well? It could only be someone from home if that's the case and it seems suspicious that they would give a reference for someone living in a different country. I guess I will work something out.
For the overseas checks, I already have the police checks for both places I've lived, but I was wondering as one of the countries is a nightmare if you're not in country. The UK and Irish ones should be no issue.
For the overseas checks, I already have the police checks for both places I've lived, but I was wondering as one of the countries is a nightmare if you're not in country. The UK and Irish ones should be no issue.
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 107
Likes: 1
From: Dublin
Thanks for the advice above both. So it doesn't need to be a friend who knows you well? It could only be someone from home if that's the case and it seems suspicious that they would give a reference for someone living in a different country. I guess I will work something out.
For the overseas checks, I already have the police checks for both places I've lived, but I was wondering as one of the countries is a nightmare if you're not in country. The UK and Irish ones should be no issue.
For the overseas checks, I already have the police checks for both places I've lived, but I was wondering as one of the countries is a nightmare if you're not in country. The UK and Irish ones should be no issue.
Joined: Jan 2019
Aviation Qualifications: LAME
Posts: 805
Likes: 645
From: Cumbria
Been a while now, but I was always bemused that all my recorded periods of employment/education had to be completely joined-up and seamless, but they weren't interested in the 2 weeks work-leave I (potentially) spent in an Al Qaeda training camp. Absolutely a box-checking exercise.
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 208
Likes: 3
From: 43N
Just be honest
There is a multi layered approach to background checks
As an old man in the US who has never missed a paycheck from pilot employment near 30 years I am only allowed to go down to the ramp and walk around the plane I am scheduled to operate on even with near yearly updated fingerprints and criminal checks.
Immigrants from various countries have easier access, even if the records are not available.
There is a multi layered approach to background checks
As an old man in the US who has never missed a paycheck from pilot employment near 30 years I am only allowed to go down to the ramp and walk around the plane I am scheduled to operate on even with near yearly updated fingerprints and criminal checks.
Immigrants from various countries have easier access, even if the records are not available.
Joined: Apr 2025
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: London
Crewlink // Airside Pass
Hello
I am currently awaiting to start Ryanair, I was hoping someone could help shed some light on query about the crewlink check / Airside pass.
I have a few gaps of typically about 16 days between jobs, between courses etc etc. I read on here from a post in 2003 (!!) that they require gap Reference for gaps of more than 14 days, but more recently I see cabin crew saying 28 days.
I also looked at other jobs in airport recently and it was 28 days and that to me seemed more realistic and easier to organise.
Could someone please let me know if Ryanair require gap References for 28 day gap or 14. I suspect 14 is outdated and I am just trying to piece together information to make process seemless. Thanks!
I am currently awaiting to start Ryanair, I was hoping someone could help shed some light on query about the crewlink check / Airside pass.
I have a few gaps of typically about 16 days between jobs, between courses etc etc. I read on here from a post in 2003 (!!) that they require gap Reference for gaps of more than 14 days, but more recently I see cabin crew saying 28 days.
I also looked at other jobs in airport recently and it was 28 days and that to me seemed more realistic and easier to organise.
Could someone please let me know if Ryanair require gap References for 28 day gap or 14. I suspect 14 is outdated and I am just trying to piece together information to make process seemless. Thanks!
