Serious Border Entry and Exit Failings

Summary

The requester alleged serious security failings at Ronaldsway Airport regarding passport gender checks and asked for details on security measures and new protocols. The Department for Enterprise clarified that no new measures were introduced because current legislation only requires verifying name and likeness for baggage security, not passport gender, and that immigration matters fall outside their jurisdiction.

Key Facts

• The Isle of Man Civil Aviation Administration (IOM CAA) is the aviation safety and security regulator but has no responsibility for immigration or border control.
• No additional security measures were introduced in response to the request because current legislation does not require passport gender verification.
• Civil aviation security legislation only requires photo ID checks to ensure the person boarding is the same person who checked in hold baggage.
• The check involves comparing the passenger's name and likeness, not verifying gender identity against the travel document.
• The IOM CAA follows UK Civil Aviation Authority guidance stating that a mismatch between gender presentation and travel documents is not a security concern.

Data Disclosed

• 5213266
• 2026-01-08
• 2026-01-14
• 5 years
• CP14
• 1st Floor, St Georges Court
• IM1 1EX
• 01624 686400

Original Request

Good Afternoon I believe the Isle of Man Civil Aviation is responsible for the security at the Isle of Man's Airport , Ronaldsway Airport. I did contact the Civil Aviation Office but failed to get a response , so given the seriousness of the issue and wide scale security failings at the Airport, a response on the following is requested. Unknown to myself I have been travelling under a passport as a woman as per the gender in my passport and not a male . Not once has this been picked up in over 5 years travelling through Ronaldsway Airport and points to serious and numerous failings on many different occasions, where my passport has clearly not been looked at properly either at the desk or gate . Immigration have also been made aware and have also failed to respond, however please provide what checks the Isle of Man Civil Aviation Authority take in regards passengers security details being properly checked by third party agents and given the fact passports are as I have shown are not being checked , what measures have the Isle of Man Civil Aviation Authority brought in from today to prevent further security concerns at Ronaldsway Airport. This is a matter I wish to discuss with UK Border Force so I'd appreciate a swift response.

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Freedom of Information Co-ordinator 1st Floor, St Georges Court Upper Church Street, Douglas Isle of Man IM1 1EX

Telephone: (01624 686400) Website: https://www.iomdfenterprise.im/

Our ref: 5213266 14TH January 2026

Dear

We write further to your request, received 8th January 2026, which states:

"Good Afternoon

I believe the Isle of Man Civil Aviation is responsible for the security at the Isle of Man's Airport , Ronaldsway Airport.

I did contact the Civil Aviation Office but failed to get a response , so given the seriousness of the issue and wide scale security failings at the Airport, a response on the following is requested.

Unknown to myself I have been travelling under a passport as a woman as per the gender in my passport and not a male . Not once has this been picked up in over 5 years travelling through Ronaldsway Airport and points to serious and numerous failings on many different occasions, where my passport has clearly not been looked at properly either at the desk or gate .

Immigration have also been made aware and have also failed to respond, however please provide what checks the Isle of Man Civil Aviation Authority take in regards passengers security details being properly checked by third party agents and given the fact passports are as I have shown are not being checked , what measures have the Isle of Man Civil Aviation Authority brought in from today to prevent further security concerns at Ronaldsway Airport.

This is a matter I wish to discuss with UK Border Force so I'd appreciate a swift response."

Our response to your request is as follows:

(1) The Isle of Man Civil Aviation Administration (IOM CAA), a division of the Department for Enterprise (the Department), is the Island’s aviation safety and security regulator.
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(2) Your FOI request potentially also touches on immigration/border control. Our response will focus only on civil aviation security as the Department has no responsibility for immigration/border control matters. However, you may wish to also contact Customs and Immigration Division of Treasury who may be able to assist further with those aspects. (3)

(4) You can find information about ‘what checks the Isle of Man Civil Aviation Authority take in regards passengers security details being properly checked by third party agents’ in IOM CAA Publication CP14 Isle of Man Civil Aviation Quality Control Programme. This public document sets out IOM CAA’s arrangements for the conduct of inspections, surveys, audits and tests of aviation security, as well as corrective activity, enforcement and penalties. (5) You also request details of ‘what measures have the Isle of Man Civil Aviation Authority brought in from today to prevent further security concerns at Ronaldsway Airport’. Having carefully reviewed your concerns, no additional measures have been introduced due to the following considerations,

• Photo ID is only required by Isle of Man (and UK) civil aviation security legislation when checking in hold baggage.
• Air carriers are to ensure during the boarding process that a passenger who has checked in hold baggage presents a valid boarding card which corresponds to the hold baggage.
• They must also verify that the person presenting the boarding pass is the same person who checked the baggage in. This is usually done on the air carrier’s behalf by their ground handling agent, who will examine the passenger’s photo ID at check-in and again at the boarding gate.
• There is no specific requirement under Isle of Man (or UK) civil aviation security legislation for the passenger to show a passport, and it is for the airline to determine what forms of ID are acceptable to it.
• When checking the photo ID, the airline or handling agent need only compare the passenger’s name and likeness, as the check is simply to 3 | P a g e

ensure that the person boarding the aircraft is the same person who checked the baggage in. • UK Civil Aviation Authority guidance (as adopted by the IOM CAA) issued to industry regarding gender identity states that it does not matter if a person’s current gender presentation is not the same as that given on the travel documentation. For this reason, it is unlikely that any airline or handling agent staff would comment on the gender details specified in your passport.

Please quote the reference number 5213266 in any future communications.

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An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

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In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

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I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely

Freedom of Information Co-Ordinator