Alex Salmond found himself in a bizarre situation with airline staff after booking on to a flight under the name James Kirk – the captain of Star Trek’s USS Enterprise.



The former Scottish first minister caused confusion when British Airways initially refused to let him board a flight at Heathrow under the sci-fi alias.

The Mail on Sunday reported that it took a series of telephone calls for the senior politician to persuade the airline that he should be allowed on board.

Salmond said he often travelled under a false name for security reasons and as a Trekkie – as fans of the show are known – he liked to use Kirk’s name, partly as a joke but also because it was easy to remember.

It is understood the confusion at the airport lasted for a couple of minutes before being resolved.

William Shatner as James T Kirk, captain of the starship USS Enterprise. Photograph: c.Paramount/Everett/Rex

He told the Mail on Sunday: “It was all sorted out. I just wanted BA to ‘beam me up, Scotty’.”

But Salmond indicated that in future he would be travelling under a different name.

“Now that my cover has been blown by the Mail on Sunday, I will choose another Star Trek character – but not Mr Spock because that would be illogical,” he said.



The incident took place over the summer when Salmond tried to fly back to Scotland after a week at the Commons.

He has previously described himself as an obsessive Trekkie and the show’s fan club made him a Starfleet officer and gave him a membership of distinction.