Question about Online Check In with British Airways

Not all that unusual on some international flights. If you aren't checking a bag, just show your travel docs to the gate agent when you get there. It isn't checked everywhere but I've seen reports of some airlines requiing proof you have your ETA. Usually if their computers aren't capable of reading the encoded data on your passport. Have a printout of your ETA approval email, to be on the safe side. Have a good flight.

This is normal. They must be sure you have a valid passport before boarding.

You can do this at the gate if you are not checking a bag.

If there was an issue with your ETA, they wouldn't have given you a boarding pass.

It’s standard. We have had it happen. It’s all international flights not specific to BA or AA.

More often now we receive notification to confirm passport info into our airline portal then take a photo of passport and upload it. Then we aren’t asked to have documents confirmed by staff.

Thanks to everyone who responded

I do not remember getting any notification like this on previous international flights including my last flight on BA whenever that might be.

However, I have to go to the counter anyways because I am checking a bag.

I have a printed copy of my Confirmed ETA.

If you haven't already done so, if you go into passenger details under manager your booking on the app or website you can enter your passport info. You'll still have to show your passport at the airport though.

Have a great trip!!

P.S. I hope you have time for a visit to St. James’s Park to see the pelicans. They are fed around 2:30 pm each day.

bostonphil7, this is pretty normal for BA. We had it happen a couple of times flying out of IAH. I believe as much as anything they want to scan your passport at the airport. Carrying a hard copy of your ETA is good, although it should pull up under your passport number. Enjoy your trip.

I do not remember getting any notification like this on previous international flights including my last flight on BA whenever that might be.

It's probably because your previous flight with BA happened before the implementation of the ETA in January of 2025. Now that that is in place, they have to check to make sure everything is in order before you travel.

It’s now a standard notice, about a standard process at the airport. Even if you a check bag, everybody’s passport and boarding pass get looked at, at the gate on your way to the plane, after your Group Number is called for boarding.

At the Denver airport, it’s not even British Airways staff - they use a third-party company’s employees to do that. Same procedure coming home - check in Online 24 hours before the flight, and at the gate, show your passport and boarding pass after your Group Number gets called.

Have a great trip!

We received the same message from BA on our trip last May from SFO to Heathrow. The gate attendants want to check your passport and were calling groups of names up as we waited for our boarding. No biggie.