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Staff Question Suspicious Passenger _ Heathrow Britain's Busiest Airport S6 E5 _ Our Stories
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00:00It's 6.30am on a crisp winter morning, and even with the lack of daylight hours at this time of year, surprisingly the UK has had 3.2 million visitors to its shores.
00:20The majority of early morning flights emanate from America, from where tourists are allowed to stay up to 6 months in the UK without a visa.
00:32However, there are 111 countries where you will need a visa, and even then it doesn't guarantee you entry to Britain.
00:42It's down to border force, to scrutinise every passenger and then make the final decision.
00:49You're coming in for business, yeah? Yes. Perfect. What kind of business are you in?
00:53I'm founder of Startup in artificial intelligence. Thank you.
00:57Today, Border Force Cat is checking passports and visas of passengers arriving into Terminal 2.
01:03Hello. Tell me why you're here.
01:06It's going for a holiday. Holiday. How long for?
01:10Just 20, 26 days. 26 days. Do you have any friends or family here?
01:16Can you see your documents? Just one of these, my hotel reservation.
01:22So you're staying here from the 2nd to the 9th? Yes, sir.
01:25And then when do you stay from the 9th to the 29th?
01:27I will just go to... Maybe I want to go to Manchester to know what is happening.
01:31OK. What's up in Manchester? I don't know. Maybe when I get there...
01:36Do you not have anything planned out, though, for London? No.
01:41OK. Is this your first time here? No, this is the third time.
01:46Third time. Where did you stay when you came last time?
01:49Oh, I forgot to know.
01:51What did you get up to these times? What did you do?
01:54I just came for pleasure.
01:56But what did you do? Like, did you see any tourist sites?
02:00No. No.
02:02Do you have family here? I don't have any family.
02:04Do you have friends here? I don't have... My family is in Nigeria.
02:07So you just sat in a hotel room for three weeks? Yes. Yes, sir.
02:10That's all you did? Yes, sir.
02:12Great.
02:14With this Nigerian passenger having a touch of amnesia, it's Kat's job to dig deeper.
02:20OK. So what do you do back in Nigeria?
02:23What do you say? What do you do? Job.
02:25OK. I'm a civil servant.
02:27A civil servant. Yes.
02:28What do you earn per month?
02:30275,000.
02:3225,000.
02:33500 pounds. How much was your ticket?
02:35My ticket?
02:36Yeah.
02:37200 and... I win 19,000.
02:40So your flight was nearly a month's wages?
02:43What?
02:44Your flight worked out to nearly a month's wages?
02:46Yeah.
02:47I can't. I don't know. I can't.
02:49It's all right.
02:50This mother...
02:51Yeah.
02:52I want to hurling it.
02:53Oh, you can... Go on, then. The toilet is just at the back.
02:55There.
02:56OK, I'll see.
02:57Yeah, I'll wait here.
03:00Just want to make sure he's gone to the toilet.
03:02Oh.
03:03So he said he came in...
03:04When he came before, he stayed in a hotel and didn't do anything for three weeks.
03:09Which I don't believe in.
03:12How can you not do anything for three weeks and stay in a hotel and just do nothing?
03:16He must have gone out.
03:17Next, please.
03:18If Border Force aren't satisfied with any passenger's story...
03:22Hello.
03:23...they can pull up oral documents supporting their visa application.
03:27When you applied for the visa, did you fill in the application form yourself?
03:31Yes, sir.
03:32You did?
03:33Yes.
03:34Cool.
03:35And did you submit any documents when you applied for the visa?
03:39Like...
03:40Like...
03:41Like bank statements or...?
03:42Yes, yes.
03:43How much cash have you brought with you?
03:46About 250,000 lira.
03:48OK.
03:49I have about 30,000 lira.
03:52This gentleman is being vague about his purpose and his plans for a month in Britain.
03:58Oh, this way, this way, this way.
04:00This way.
04:01Follow me.
04:02And with only 20 quid a day to live off, Kat needs to escalate the investigation.
04:14Heathrow Airport prides itself on keeping its passengers problem-free.
04:19Chinese passport.
04:20This way, my lovely.
04:21Brasileño?
04:22Brasileño?
04:23Yes.
04:24Yes, yes.
04:25They've even won the industry's Oscar for customer service for the last 11 years.
04:30Just go down here and they'll see if you've had problems.
04:32They'll check you in normally.
04:33OK.
04:34All right.
04:35Have a safe journey.
04:36But when it comes to the airport's 82 airlines, there are some that aim to go above and beyond.
04:47Terminal 3 is the home to Japan Airlines, JAL, a five-star carrier that aims to deliver
04:53Japanese culture to every passenger with the utmost graciousness and courtesy.
04:58And today is a very special day for half of Japan's population.
05:05We are celebrating this event called the Girls' Day.
05:08It's in Japanese called the Hinamatsuri.
05:11That is the day when the parents wish for the well-being and good luck and happy life of their daughter.
05:17It's one of the very traditional festivals.
05:21They celebrate by using these candies and rice crackers.
05:26And they also display these doors of a princess and the prince.
05:30And they are also there to cast away the evil spirit from affecting their daughter.
05:35So, yeah, we got the flowers on and I think we are set for the Girls' Day.
05:42So, yeah.
05:44It's down to Mr. Sho, JAL's passenger service agent, to make sure everything runs smoothly this Girls' Day.
05:51Good job, he's a master in Kokik Sabusu.
05:55That's customer service.
05:57We got three different vowels depending on the occasions.
06:00So, there's like a small vowel which is about this kind of angle.
06:05That's to do with like a brief greeting.
06:07And the second one is about this much for like a proper greeting.
06:12And the third one is the deepest one.
06:14And that's going to be for like the most profound greetings or like in case you have to apologise to the passenger.
06:23I guess you don't want to go 90 degrees for that, otherwise you'll break your back.
06:29There are also less arduous traditions which involve the hands.
06:34Instead of using the pointy fingers, we always use the open palm to address to any information.
06:40So, the pointy finger is a definite no-no.
06:43Obviously, you can do it between friends, but when you are addressing a passenger, that is going to be extremely good.
06:50You can't remove it.
06:52Etiquette and tradition are at the heart of Japanese culture and the airline.
06:57Yeah, obviously it's a big day.
06:59Yeah, as you can see from the decorations, we have quite a bit of force in it.
07:02So that hopefully the person is going to be happy when they come to the check-in.
07:06The origins of Girls' Day date back over a thousand years.
07:13But with the last Jal flight leaving in four hours, and not a girl in sight, Mr. Sho doesn't have much time to honour the age-old tradition.
07:22Yeah, sir, come off. Sir, sir, phone down. Put the phone down.
07:32Put the phone down, please.
07:34Put the phone down.
07:36For the third time.
07:37In Terminal 2 Immigration, Border Force Cat is looking into a passenger's motives for coming to the UK.
07:43So, I've just picked up this Nigerian passenger.
07:46And she has to report to her boss, Donna.
07:48He's staying in this hotel in Kings Cross for a month, but then he's here to the 29th with no hotel accommodation.
07:56Right.
07:57So, the cost of his ticket works out about the cost of how much we get to per month.
08:00Yeah.
08:01And his phone keeps ringing, so it might be...
08:03And then we can find out if the hotel's been paid for and stuff as well.
08:05Yeah, cool.
08:06All right.
08:07I'll do that.
08:08All right.
08:09There you are.
08:10Thank you very much.
08:11Cheers.
08:12What are you looking for?
08:13Are you specific or are you looking for...?
08:14We're just looking in general, but also, obviously, anything to say you might be staying here, live here, working here, you know, any other thing.
08:21You might have a family here.
08:22All sorts, really, customs angles.
08:26Who keeps ringing you?
08:27Let's see.
08:28Let me see.
08:31Is that English or a Nigerian number?
08:33No, a Nigerian number.
08:34Is that English number?
08:35Yes.
08:36I thought you said you didn't know anyone here.
08:37Can I speak to him?
08:39Yes.
08:40Yeah, yeah.
08:41All right.
08:42Take a seat, then.
08:45He said you should tell them you have a British national who is your in-law.
08:49All right.
08:50That's interesting.
08:51When questioned earlier, the passengers stated he didn't know anyone in Britain.
08:56I'm just going to take a picture of that on my work phone.
08:58So this message from an unknown source could land him in hot bother.
09:03Okay.
09:04How many bags?
09:05One.
09:06Okay.
09:07Can you do me a favour?
09:08Can you turn that off, please?
09:09No, it's not.
09:10It's off now.
09:11Okay.
09:12Good, good, good.
09:13It keeps ringing.
09:14A visa could be cancelled if information on the application form turns out to be inaccurate
09:19after the passenger has been questioned.
09:22I'm not.
09:23I haven't said that at all.
09:25How much money he had?
09:28Well, he's got none.
09:29But there's money on here, apparently.
09:31Upon entry to the UK, border force can request to see evidence of personal funds.
09:37We're just going to go to this cash point, okay?
09:39To be confident a visitor isn't in danger of being exploited or forced into labour.
09:44There you go.
09:45So if you just check your balance for me, I won't look at your pin.
09:5568.
09:56Next one.
09:57That's fine.
09:58Yeah.
09:59That's 59 pounds.
10:01And then last one.
10:04220.
10:05I should remove it.
10:06Yes, please.
10:07So you have 347 pounds altogether.
10:12He's intending to visit for 26 days and to spend seven of those in a London hotel.
10:18So he's not going to have much change left over from 347 quid.
10:23Please, can I make a call?
10:24In a minute you can, yeah.
10:25What?
10:26In a minute you can.
10:27Any?
10:28In a minute.
10:29I don't understand.
10:31With over 200 nationalities passing through the terminal daily.
10:35My face a little then.
10:37It's not always an easy life being a border force officer.
10:40You can call in a minute.
10:41What?
10:42You can make a phone call in a minute.
10:44Okay, yeah.
10:45Call the passenger.
10:46No, not yet.
10:47In a minute.
10:48That's what I said.
10:49In a minute?
10:50Yeah.
10:51Yes, sir.
10:52Follow us.
10:53Okay.
10:54However the situation may look for a passenger, Kat needs to be thorough before making a final
10:56decision on whether they are allowed or denied entry.
11:00This system tells me what he's applied for on his visa.
11:04This is the detective work bit.
11:07Mm-hmm.
11:08There we go.
11:09Border force have access to all information regarding passenger's visa entry.
11:13So he submitted his old documents as well.
11:16From a decade's worth of travel history, criminal offences, they can even request personal photographs.
11:23I have attached my personal statement of account and I promise I shall not violate your rules and
11:30regulations here during my short stay.
11:32I am happily married with kids and I promise I shall come back to meet my family.
11:37I'm just going to make a call to his hotel booking just to see if we've actually got a booking and
11:44if it's been paid for.
11:46Hello, this is immigration calling from Terminal 2, Heathrow.
11:49Yeah?
11:50Hello, I just wondered if I could confirm a passenger that he's staying with you.
11:54Yep.
11:55Confirmation number, 8022.
11:57Is it booked and paid for?
11:59It hasn't been paid.
12:01Hasn't been paid.
12:02We tried to charge the car but it didn't go through.
12:06Oh, it didn't go through.
12:07Okay.
12:08Declined, yeah?
12:09Yeah.
12:10Okay, cool.
12:11Alright, thank you.
12:13Bye-bye.
12:14It appears this passenger has little money to support himself and now nowhere to stay.
12:19His chances of a UK holiday could be in jeopardy.
12:23So what are the next steps?
12:25So now I'm just going to put him on our system and then I'm going to do his fingerprints
12:31and then further interview.
12:32Because he said to me he doesn't know anyone here.
12:35Which is maybe a bit of a lie because he's getting called from an English number.
12:40And I saw that text message, so...
12:42In Terminal 2, a Nigerian passenger has come to the UK for a 26-day holiday.
12:58He has very little money and despite claiming on his visa application that he knows no one
13:03in Britain, he keeps getting text messages from a UK number.
13:08Other hand.
13:09Other hand.
13:10Other hand.
13:11Other hand.
13:12Other hand.
13:13With every questionable immigration case...
13:14Next.
13:15...border force have to make a record of the passengers' fingerprints and photographs.
13:19Yeah.
13:20After which comes a thorough questioning.
13:22All right.
13:23Texting.
13:24Can you stop texting?
13:25No, I'm not texting.
13:26All right.
13:27So we're just going to do some questions and answers, all right?
13:31I want to complete this thing.
13:34Yeah.
13:35I'm trying to help you as well.
13:36Okay, thank you.
13:37So who keeps calling you on this phone then?
13:40Do you understand?
13:41Who keeps calling you?
13:42Let me see.
13:43The British number that was ringing you.
13:45No.
13:46Yes.
13:47No, that's...
13:48It's the one he has been...
13:49Yeah, no.
13:50Go to your court.
13:51It's the one...
13:52Listen, go to your court.
13:53Honestly.
13:54No, I saw it earlier.
13:55Okay, the message.
13:56Yes, please.
13:57Let me see.
13:58Tell them you have a cousin.
14:00Yeah.
14:01But you don't have a cousin, do you?
14:02I don't tell any of this.
14:03So why is he telling you to say all this stuff?
14:05That I should tell you that I have a person here.
14:08Yeah, but you don't have a cousin here.
14:11Actually, I have a neighbor here.
14:14Okay.
14:17An in-law.
14:20A visa application can be cancelled instantly
14:23if the information provided within it
14:25is found to be inaccurate or misleading.
14:28So did you fill in your application form?
14:30Yes.
14:31But let me explain that one for you.
14:34Okay.
14:35He's a British national.
14:38And I've been asking him to send invitation to you.
14:42Mm-hmm.
14:43He reviews.
14:44He has a reason of not giving it to me.
14:47So that is the reason why I decided that I don't know anybody in the UK.
14:52It appears this case may not need Sherlock,
14:55but it could benefit from a bit of family counselling.
14:58Okay.
14:59So when the visa was now given,
15:01they kind of called me that if I want to come to UK,
15:05instead of staying in a hotel,
15:07I can just come to his house and I said no.
15:10Okay.
15:11If I need you, I can call you.
15:14He said call on me if you need me, basically.
15:17Yes.
15:18That's the reason why I said you should allow me to call.
15:21If you make a call to your friend in a minute...
15:23Yes.
15:24..you'll get more money into your bank?
15:26Yes.
15:27Okay.
15:28What's that?
15:29I said, okay.
15:30Okay, thank you, ma'am.
15:31It's not a problem.
15:32If he hasn't got enough sufficient funds, which he hasn't,
15:34he can't come into the UK, which has spoiled his trip.
15:37This should have been sorted before.
15:40Now it's down to his British contact to save his trip.
15:44Yeah, speak to the law, see if we can lend him the money.
15:47Okay.
15:48And then if you're happy, come back and sue me and then...
15:50Hopefully you'll lend it.
15:51Okay, yeah, perfect.
15:53Cool, thanks.
16:00Can you hear us?
16:02Okay, this is immigration.
16:04I've been detained.
16:06The money in my account is not too much.
16:09I was now told to pay $100,99 to my account...
16:13No, it's not.
16:14..before I can be released.
16:16No, he didn't say that.
16:17You need funds in your account.
16:19Okay, I need funds.
16:20Can you raise $200,000 now?
16:23500 quid.
16:25Yo, let me send my account number to you now.
16:31One second.
16:34What did he say?
16:35Yes.
16:36He has gone to make the deposit.
16:37He's going to do it?
16:38Yes.
16:39Is he doing it on the phone?
16:40Yes.
16:41Have you got your bank card on you?
16:42Okay.
16:43Have you got it on you?
16:44What?
16:45Your bank card.
16:46Okay, good.
16:47Okay, good.
16:48Now, Kat just needs the all clear from Donna.
16:49When we spoke to her in law, we did it together.
16:50He was able to transfer some funds to him.
16:51And I've just seen it in the cash point.
16:52I've just taken him there.
16:53Which means there's no change on the visa.
16:54There's no change on the visa.
16:55There's no change on the visa.
16:56No change on the visa.
16:57No change on the visa.
16:58No change on the visa application.
16:59Okay.
17:00I'm looking at a landing, really.
17:01Yeah.
17:02Yeah.
17:03Okay.
17:04Yeah.
17:05Okay.
17:06Okay, yeah.
17:07Cool.
17:08All right.
17:10Come on in.
17:11Yeah?
17:12Good.
17:13All right.
17:14Obviously, at the start, I had initial concerns.
17:16But I think you get to know the passenger once you have.
17:17I did a job.
17:18No change on the visa application.
17:19Yeah.
17:20Yeah.
17:21I was looking at a landing.
17:22I was looking at the landing.
17:23Yeah?
17:24I was looking at a landing, really.
17:25Yeah.
17:26Yeah.
17:27I was looking at a landing, really.
17:28Yeah.
17:29Okay.
17:30I was looking at a landing.
17:31Cool.
17:32All right, thank you.
17:33the passenger once you've you know spent five hours together oh that might help so you get a
17:40feel of what their you know what their personality is like yes you can don't forget that there's your
17:47tickets everything kind of added up in the end um but i'm glad we've got a good outcome i'm glad
17:52we landed him nice to meet you take care have fun and having complied with his visa twice in the past
17:59he's free to enjoy his holiday i think there's about like nine or eight left to check in
18:09over in terminal three there's a blow for japan airlines passenger service agent mr show
18:15obviously it's a girl's day so we wanted to see many girls and having yet to find one
18:22the century-old tradition of giving rice crackers to young daughters could be coming to an abrupt end
18:28on his watch yeah i've got two baskets of girls the rice crackers that we couldn't give out to the
18:33passenger at the check-in so um yeah probably some passengers at the departure gate might actually
18:38want the crackers and with the final flight to tokyo almost ready for boarding there's not much time
18:45good evening ladies and gentlemen japan airlines flight jl 44 will be ready for boarding at 25 past six
19:07while his ancestors may think he's crackers mr show decides to bend the rules
19:15take some rice crackers thank you very much if we would like to have another thank you so much
19:20we'll save these for later every lady is someone's daughter after all thank you thank you no i didn't
19:29know anything about girls day um it's a nice little gift of the rice crackers so i think quite a lot of
19:34the asian airlines are just very courteous more than uh when i've been on a flight to benadormon places
19:39like that it's not quite the same last year there was a record low number of baby girls born in japan
19:46which may be why there are so few traveling to tokyo in fact there appears to be only one
19:57much to the relief of mr show
20:07with all passengers including one young girl safely on board
20:11it's time to show off one last jowl tradition do you think they can actually see us
20:19when we are doing this bowing we are always focusing on the pilot because that's who actually
20:23we want to wave up yeah waving is not for the passenger it's more to do with our uh like a colleague
20:30okay what is this coming oh yeah let's get out of the way the huge aircraft is coming in now
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