Dual nationality and the crew passport: which passport to fly on, the countries that are a problem for some nationalities and how airlines handle two
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#1 Japanese, with a second European nationality from my mother, and the dual nationality question comes up in the DMs from the applicants who have two passports and do not know which one to put on the form. Leon's thread covers the crew documents in general. This is the two passport case specifically.
Which passport to apply with
The one that gives the right to work where the airline is. A dual Japanese and Italian national applying to Lufthansa applies on the Italian passport, because it is the EU right to work. The same person applying to JAL applies on the Japanese one. The airline asks for the nationality on the form and the passport at the desk and they should match the right to work the airline needs.
Declaring the second
Declare it. The crew documents file at every airline has a place for a second nationality and the airline wants to know because of the next section. A hidden second passport that turns up at an immigration desk is a problem for the airline and for you.
The countries that are a problem for some nationalities
Some destinations refuse or restrict entry to holders of certain passports, or to passports carrying certain stamps. Crew with a second passport that avoids the problem can, with the airline's agreement, carry and use that one for those destinations. The airline arranges which passport is on the general declaration for which flight. The Israeli stamp question, the Gulf and certain Asian destinations, and a few others are the usual cases. The airline's crew documents team knows the list and manages it; the crew member's job is to have declared both passports.
Flying on the second
The passport you enter a country on as crew has to be the one on the crew list for that flight. You cannot switch at the desk. The airline decides which goes on the GD by destination, based on the problem list. Crew with two passports carry both on the trips where it matters and the crew documents briefing says which to present.
Validity on both
Both passports need the validity and the blank pages if both are in use. Crew have been caught with the second passport expired because they only renewed the main one.
The honest advantage
A dual national with a Western and an Asian or Middle Eastern passport is useful to an airline on certain routes and the airline knows it. It is not an advantage at the assessment (the recruiters hire the person) but it is noticed in the crew documents file and it can make a crew member more flexible on the roster.
For dual nationals applying
Apply on the right to work passport, declare the other, keep both valid, and let the airline decide which flies where. It is routine for the crew documents team and a problem only for the crew who hide it.
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#2 Cathay, and the second passport arrangement for the stamp problem is exactly how our crew documents team runs it: both declared, the GD by destination, the crew briefed which to present. Kenji has the dual national case right.
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#3 Qatar from Morocco, and I know crew with a second European passport who fly certain routes on it by the airline's arrangement. Declared at joining, managed by the documents team, routine. The hidden one is the problem, as Kenji says.
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#4 Brazilian and Portuguese at TAP, and the right to work passport (the Portuguese) is the application one and the Brazilian is declared and used for the Brazil routes where it helps with the family side. Exactly as described.
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#5 BA, British and Pakistani, and the two passports are both in my crew file and the documents team told me which to present on which route in my first month. It is routine. Keep both valid is the thing I forgot once and will not again.
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#6 Lisbon, aspiring, Portuguese and Brazilian, and the application passport being the right to work one is the thing I had backwards. Portuguese for TAP and Ryanair. Thank you.