Security fears at Heathrow

Selena Fox passed through two passport checks

Security at Heathrow Airport is being investigated after a woman boarded a British Airways flight using someone else's passport, BBC London has learnt.

Selena Fox picked up her husband's passport by mistake and only realised after she landed in Lusaka, Zambia.

But she was "shocked" that she passed through all the security checks with no-one realising that she had a man's passport.

Both Heathrow and BA have promised an inquiry following the incident but it will do little to reassure passengers at a time when the public is being warned of terrorist attacks.

It wasn't until I had to fill in my immigration card in Zambia that I realised I hadn't travelled on my own passport - it was in fact my husband's

Selena Fox

Ms Fox said: "I arrived at check-in and we had some extra equipment that we needed to get through, which was dealt with very efficiently.

"Then we went through to departures and proceeded as normal.

"It wasn't until I had to fill in my immigration card in Zambia that I realised I hadn't travelled on my own passport - it was in fact my husband's.

"I was absolutely shocked.

'Absolutely frightening'

"I had gone through at least two points where my passport was checked.

"To be a frank, all the BA staff I have spoken to are shocked as well."

One passenger arriving at the west London airport on Monday said: "It is absolutely frightening.

"If people can get through as easily as that then terrorists can get on board as well."

First time

A spokesman for BA said it will be talking to its staff at Heathrow about the incident.

"This is the first time I have heard of anything like this happening on BA," she said.

"We take security very seriously and we have launched a thorough investigation and we will take on board the lessons learnt from it."

A spokesman for Heathrow said it will co-ordinate with BA in the investigation.