Nigerian airline threatens to withdraw from UK over 'hostile' treatment of pilot

A Nigerian airline says it could pull its business out of the UK after one of its pilots was arrested on suspicion of being a stowaway and threatened with deportation. Max Air condemned the move by border staff at Bournemouth International, stating that it is an example of the Home Office’s “hostile environment policy”. The company says it is now losing GBP180,000 a day, because it cannot find another pilot to fly the plane after captain Adam Ibrahim returned home voluntarily on another flight. Immigration officials argue that a visa is mandatory for nationals staying longer than 7 days and that it is the responsibility of air crew to ensure they have the correct documentation on arrival. Captain Ibrahim told immigration officials on arrival that UK maintenance work on the aircraft was scheduled to last between 7 and 10 days. <br/>