Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville has revealed a startling airport security mix-up that left him detained by US border officials during a recent trip to New York. The beloved British actor found himself in an unexpected predicament when an airport official's simple mistake turned his travel plans upside down.
The Heathrow Security Pass Confusion
Bonneville explained that the trouble began when a passport control officer at his departure airport mistakenly took his Heathrow security pass for a boarding card. This critical error meant the system showed he hadn't officially checked in for his transatlantic flight, despite being already airborne and approaching American soil.
The 60-year-old actor, best known for playing Robert Crawley in the hit period drama, was travelling to the United States to promote the new PBS documentary William Shakespeare: Treasures of the Folger Library.
New York Arrival Drama
Upon landing in New York, US border officials took Bonneville into a separate room for questioning. "They took me into a little room and that was a bit alarming," the actor confessed. He described the tense moments as officials tried to unravel the administrative tangle that threatened to disrupt his promotional tour.
The situation created significant concern for Bonneville, who was scheduled to appear on ABC's The View to discuss the Shakespeare documentary. "I thought, 'Oh, this is going to be a lot of paperwork and I'm going to miss the show,'" he recalled.
Resolution and Relief
Fortunately, after what Bonneville described as "a bit of a drama," the misunderstanding was eventually cleared up. The border officials recognized the administrative error and allowed him to proceed with his scheduled appearances.
The incident highlights the potential complications that can arise from simple administrative errors in today's complex air travel security systems, even for high-profile travellers like award-winning actors.
Bonneville's latest project sees him exploring one of the world's most significant collections of Shakespeare materials at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC, which is currently undergoing extensive renovations.
