This guide is maintained as a current resource for September 2026 and covers only the laws of England and Wales. Information is for general guidance, not legal advice. Consult a qualified solicitor for advice specific to your situation.
Explore when police and border officers can lawfully search a person at airports in England and Wales, including stop and search powers under PACE, terrorism powers under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000, section 43 terrorism searches, and associated rights and safeguards at the border. Clear, authoritative guide for the public and solicitors.
Police Search Powers at Airports
Travelling through an airport involves a range of security and law enforcement checks. In England and Wales, police - along with Border Force and other border officials - have legal powers to stop, question and search individuals at airports. These powers are intended to protect public safety, detect criminal activity, and prevent terrorism and other serious offences. This article explains when and how these powers can be exercised, what rights travellers have, and the key legal safeguards that apply.
1. Stop and Search Under Normal Police Powers
General Stop and Search Rules
Outside of terrorism‑specific powers, police officers have stop and search powers under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) in public areas such as airports, where they have reasonable grounds to suspect the person is carrying:
- stolen goods, illegal drugs, offensive weapons,
- items to be used in the commission of an offence.
For these routine stop and search powers to be lawful, officers must have reasonable suspicion based on specific facts or information indicating involvement in criminal activity.
Example: An officer may stop someone who matches a description of a person believed to be carrying illegal goods or weapons.
2. Schedule 7 Terrorism Act Powers at Airports and Borders
No Suspicion Required
The most significant legal basis for searching people at airports is Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000. This gives police, immigration and customs officers - collectively called examining officers - the power to stop, question, detain and search individuals travelling through the UK's ports, including airports, without needing reasonable suspicion that the person is involved in terrorism.
This power exists specifically for border control purposes and is aimed at determining whether a person appears to be someone involved in the commission, preparation or instigation of terrorist acts.
Range of Search Powers
Under Schedule 7 an examining officer can:
- stop and question travellers entering or leaving the UK;
- search the person and their belongings;
- examine goods, luggage and vehicles associated with the traveller;
- potentially detain them for up to six hours while the examination continues.
The power to search extends to electronic devices, and officers can copy or retain data for further examination - although use of these intrusive powers has been the subject of legal scrutiny.
Purpose and Limitations
These powers are intended to be used for terrorism‑related examinations at the border, not for general public order policing. They should be exercised proportionately and not arbitrarily.
Schedule 7 does not require the examining officer to suspect involvement in terrorism before stopping or searching the person. However, officers must inform the person that the stop is under Schedule 7 and provide relevant information about the powers being used.
Important: If a person is detained under Schedule 7 and refuses to comply without a lawful excuse - such as refusing to answer questions or obstructing the process - they may commit an offence under the Act.
3. Border Force and Police Interaction
While police officers have powers under terrorism and general stop and search laws, other authorities at airports - such as Border Force officers (immigration and customs personnel) - also enforce border security and may exercise powers under various statutes. For example, Border Force officers can detain individuals for criminal offence arrests pending arrival of police.
This means that travellers may be stopped or searched under a combination of police and Border Force powers depending on the circumstances and suspected offences.
4. Stop and Search With Suspicion: Terrorism Act Section 43
Separate from Schedule 7, the Terrorism Act 2000 section 43 gives police the power to stop and search a person who they reasonably suspect to be involved in terrorist activity. This is different from the no‑suspicion requirement under Schedule 7.
Under section 43, an officer must reasonably suspect involvement in terrorism before carrying out a search. This power can apply anywhere in England and Wales, including at airports.
5. Rights and Safeguards for People Searched at Airports
Being Stopped and Searched Under Schedule 7
Individuals stopped under Schedule 7 have certain rights and should be informed:
- that the examination is being conducted under Schedule 7 to the Terrorism Act;
- that they may be searched and questioned for border security purposes;
- the nature and purposes of the stop.
Although police can search people and their belongings without suspicion under Schedule 7, the use of these powers must adhere to the Code of Practice attached to the Act and must not be arbitrary.
Legal Advice
Under Schedule 7, a person does not have the automatic right to consult a solicitor during the examination. However, an examining officer may allow access to legal advice at their discretion and should permit it where reasonably practicable.
Policy and Human Rights Considerations
Because these powers allow searches without suspicion, they have drawn criticism and legal challenge on human rights grounds, leading to judicial review and scrutiny of how they are applied to journalists and others at airports.
6. How Searches Are Conducted
Police and authorised officers can conduct searches of a person and their possessions directly when exercising their powers. Searches may include inspecting hand luggage, personal items and electronic devices where permitted by law (e.g., under Schedule 7).
If a person is detained longer (for example, under Schedule 7), the officer must follow the Code of Practice and record details of the search and examination, including any detention.
Conclusion
Police and other authorities can search a person at an airport in England and Wales in several circumstances:
- Routine stop and search under PACE, where officers have reasonable suspicion of criminal activity;
- Stop and search under section 43 of the Terrorism Act 2000 where there is reasonable suspicion of terrorism involvement;
- Schedule 7 examinations under the Terrorism Act 2000, where officers can stop, question, and search individuals at airports and other borders without needing reasonable suspicion.
Schedule 7 powers are particularly important for national security at borders, but they come with specific statutory frameworks and Codes of Practice that govern their use. Understanding when these powers can be applied and what safeguards exist helps travellers know their rights and what to expect if stopped or searched at an airport in the UK.
