In their attempt to attack plans forcing the airport workers to enroll in the national ID card scheme, bosses at the major airlines of the UK claim that the aviation industry of the UK is used for political purposes and that the project has a questionable public support. This has been reported in the register. The bosses say that the move might drastically harm security concerns by adding what they claim as a 'false sense of security to our processes.'

The group opposing the proposal includes the bosses of airlines including British Airways, Virgin, bmi and easyJet. In a joint letter signed and sent to Jacqui Smith, the home secretary through the British Air Transport Association, the MDs and CEOs of many airports in addition to the general secretary of the airline union BALPA have conveyed their strict opposition to the proposal.

According to them, the plan is sure to add extra processes, costs and risks and that the existing system is already comprehensive with respect to identity and record checks. Over and above, the staff of the airlines are already subjected to an extremely thorough vetting and criminal records checks. Any alteration to the existing system can never add anything for the betterment of the existing system.

They have asked the home secretary to 'junk the cards' and shift 'the priority for Government attention to the improved efficiency of border processes which would result in a more reliable operation and better levels of service for the travelling public.'