BA turns away Alex Salmond for ‘Captain Kirk’ alias

Alex Salmond was turned away from a British Airways flight to Scotland after booking a ticket under the alias, Captain Kirk.

BA staff at Heathrow noticed that the seat had been booked under James T Kirk, a pseudonym based on the Star Trek character, which did not match the name on the former Scottish First Minister’s passport.

After a series of frantic calls, the former SNP leader managed to persuade them he was not an imposter and to let him board.

Alex Salmond told the Mail on Sunday that he often travelled under a false name for security reasons and he liked to use Captain Kirk’s name as he is an avid Star Trek fan.

It is understood he normally travels from Gatwick or London City airports to Scotland, where staff are aware of his alias.

A BA spokesman said: "We ask all our customers to travel under their own names to maintain the most secure travelling environment possible. Our policy is clearly laid out in ba.com.

"’The safety and security of our customers and colleagues is our top priority."