Last year DH and I both got ETAs for travel to the UK. The notice of approval said we do not have to show proof of the ETA for travel to the UK. Since then I've been twice to the UK and DH has been once. No problem, no questions about the ETA.

Last October we flew from Dubrovnik to London and had an overnight layover in London. Once again, no questions. Today we are flying from Malta to London and we will have an overnight layover. When we checked in, they asked for proof of out ETAs. Thank God I was able to search my email and find those, because they really stood their ground.

So regardless of what you've heard, and regardless of your prior experiences, be prepared to prove you have an ETA.

That is bizarre. What airline was that?

I suspect it will happen more often as airlines are worried about passengers being turned away on arrival in the UK meaning the airline has to pay to take them back to where they started.

I hope you enjoyed Malta. my SIL is there now celebrating her birthday. It has become her go to place since my brother died.

https://www.gov.uk/check-eta

I thought the ETA would be connected electronically to your passport. So you show your passport at immigration, or scan it at a machine, and it can see your ETA. Or is it a different scenario you are describing?

The airline can ask for proof at check-in just as they can for the ESTA. As I said they don't want to be lumbered with no admission passengers.

Oh, and it applies to all non UK/Ireland passport holders, not just US citizens

Some routes are higher risk. Flights from Greece,Spain,Italy and I guess Malta to the Uk are likely getting closer looks. All the paperwork.

British Airways. Today and every time.

I thought it was all in the computer, connected to our passport, as you said. But not today.

You would think that BA agents of all people would know no one needs to show "proof." But I flew British Airways last month from Heathrow to Venice. The check in person asked me a lot of questions which flummoxed her. She asked how long I would be in Venice, and when I was flying out. I am not I said, I am going to Udine on the train. She wanted to see my ticket. I told her it is a regional train and I would buy a ticket at the train station. So then she asked when I am leaving Italy. I told her Slovenia two days after that.. she wanted to see a plane ticket.. I said my friend is picking me up, you do not fly there, it is a two hour drive. She really wanted to see some kind of plane ticket. I said in a few weeks I will be in Montenegro where I will then fly to Spain. You cannot imagine her confusion She called her supervisor who basically told her, yeah she can fly. So maybe BA has something in their computer these days prompting all these questions. Of course, in Italy, no one asked me anything beyond whether I was there for work or pleasure...

Your replies have been interesting and I appreciate all of you. It's always nice to hear your travel stories.

As we know, janis is a frequent visitor to the UK. I hope she will jump in and tell us if she's had to show her proof of ETA.

Hi, I saw your note over on the other thread.

I've flown in to the UK twice since the ETA's went active. I stuck a printed copy of the initial acceptance e-mail in my wallet 'just in case' (it is still there these months later and it's staying where it is). Both trips were on AA and When checking in at SMF one time they asked if I had it but didn't need to see it and the other time I volunteered that 'I have a copy of the e-mail' but again they didn't ask to see it.

I 'know' the UK gov website says there is no need to carry proof -- but since not all airline check in staff are 'created equal' I figured it is better to be safe than sorry. It probably depends on how experienced / well trained the agent is. Flying from Malta I'd guess you were on BA?? Are their Malta staff contracted or BA employees? I'd maybe contact BA twitter and they might throw a few miles into your account.

I tend to be a belt and braces sort of traveler and carry hard copies of everything.

Yes, it was BA. I don't know if the staff were BA employees or not. I am aware that sometimes employees are contracted, and it wouldn't surprise me if that were the case, since BA only seems to operate 1 flight a day from Malta.

We will definitely be prepared next time.

We flew Virgin Atlantic to London in January. We were not asked to show proof of ETA. But we’ll make sure we have a copy when we return next month.

I flew to London four times last year and once this year, I was asked a couple of times but never had to show proof.

it says right on the approval email “You do not need to print or show this confirmation email.” I should not be so harsh on BA to train their agents and staff, with how ever many thousands of employees and outsourced agents that is a tall order.

I did a bit of googling. There are reports of people at checkin desks finding the airline not able to contact the UK database. They've only been able to travel by showing the email.

Assuming that's right you've got a few points of failure.

The UK database server itself
The airline system that connects to the UK
The wires in between.

Next time I fly to the UK will be on Vueling from Barcelona. Unless something has changed, check in there is all automated. I wonder if they have brought in staff to ask for ETAs… because if not, you are talking to a machine.

I will keep the approval email handy from now on!

I've seen comments from Ryanair flyers that their online check in was paused until closer to the flight.

Ryanair for example lets you check in sixty days before the flight. I wonder if that's so far in advance the system wants to make sure your ETA is still valid and not canceled by flight date.

I am already checked in and have my boarding passes for a June flight. Still gotta check luggage, though.