British Airways worker at centre of $6m visa scam on run in India

The British Airways worker reportedly ran the scam from a London airport over five years. Photo / 123RF

An airline worker has gone on the run after being accused of running a $6 million travel visa scam, which he was running out of London’s Heathrow Airport for the past five years.

The 24-year-old British Airways employee was accused of charging passengers up to $50,000 to exploit a loophole that would allow them to travel across the network without required visa documents.

By falsely claiming travellers had the required eTAs - electronic travel authorities - the airline supervisor was able to allow them to other countries, normally with a transit via the UK.

The majority of his clients were asylum seekers who feared they would have applications rejected in the UK. He is accused of extorting almost £3 million ($6.16m) through the shady operation exploiting travellers trying to reach countries served by BA, mostly from south Asia.

“He exploited a loophole knowing that immigration checks are no longer carried out by officials but are left to airline staff,” claimed a source, quoted by The Sun.

The airline worker first came under suspicion last year after Canadian border officials in Toronto and Vancouver reported a number of arrivals on BA flights claiming asylum.

Despite being arrested and released on bail on January 6, only to flee the country, the airline worker is believed to be in India where he is known to own property.

UK police are reportedly working with their counterparts in India to track down the man who, according to The Indian Express, vanished with his partner after taking a flight to the country.

A British Airways spokesperson said they were assisting authorities in their investigation.