Onward booked flight from Singapore required at Oslo Check-in

[OZDUCK]

Yesterday we were checking in for our QR flights Oslo/Doha/Sin when we were told that we were required to show evidence of a "booked' flight out of Singapore before we would be allowed to board. I said not required for Australia passport holders like us - based on the fact that it has never been requested before. She checked again and said it was required. I was about to stupidly argue the toss when my wife, correctly, told me to just shut-up and show her our Scoot booking for Sin - Per. Which I did, happy in the knowledge that it showed a flight that no longer actually existed as our Scoot flight has been replaced by a SQ charter.

I have now checked the Smartraveller site and it says that "you may have to show - an onward or return flight ticket' Smartraveller.gov.au - Singapore' We now use the electronic gates at Changi but we have travelled on both separate tickets and linked tickets to and from Europe and have never been queried about any booked departure flights.

Has anyone else run across this demand? I have never had it requested travelling from Perth to Singapore with separate tickets, nor ran across it in reverse when returning from Europe - e.g. on Finnair then onto to a unlinked SQ flight.

Also, I have to say that the outwards passport control process at Oslo rates as pretty poor to me. Problems Included pax being kept at the window for at least 30 minutes, that we saw, while phone calls are being made instead of being sent to the 'back office'. Plus anes for Schengen passport holders and others crossing over and the pax mingling with each other.

 

[Hvr]

I wonder if QR is strict as a matter of course and checks all pax regardless of their nationality? Or maybe the Singapore government has asked airlines to check?

Having said that your post reminded me of a question I had when I checked in on Monday for my trip to BKK. The woman at the QF check in desk asked me if I had a return ticket, then stopped and said 'I can see it on your booking'.

So maybe it's part of a world wide crack down or several airlines have been fined recently and decided that prevention is better than paying money and losing their reputation?

 

[dajop]

Yes, this often happens, even on QF and EK out of MEL. I live in Singapore so most of my journeys terminate there - check in staff often want to see onward journey or my permanent resident card (or sometimes they just ask if I live there). Interestingly never asked on SQ.

Worst case was a few years back when I only had an Employment Pass - checking in on UA in the midwest of USA , connecting to SQ to SIN. Wanted to see my onward flight which I didn’t have, and the check in agent couldn’t quite comprehend that an Employment Pass also entitled me to live and stay in Singapore! Took almost 30 mins and a couple of phone calls to resolve!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Has anyone else run across this demand?

yes. On both Qantas and Jetstar. Only happens if your booking doesn't contain an onwards flight (so usually separate tickets will prompt a request to show evidence you will be leaving SIN.)

 

[OZDUCK]

Thanks for the responses. If I return to Oslo I will have to apologise. Scoot, SQ, Finnair and Royal Brunei did not raise any question about onwards flights.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thanks for the responses. If I return to Oslo I will have to apologise. Scoot, SQ, Finnair and Royal Brunei did not raise any question about onwards flights.

I'm not sure I see any issue here? Asking for proof of onward travel is fairly common and takes less than 10 seconds to show at the check-in counter. With mobiles these days it's as simple as

Qatar has done their bit to satisfy Singapore immigration requirements. If you get caught now without a valid onward ticket it becomes an issue between you and the Singapore immigration department. Transfer of risk by QR.

 

[OZDUCK]

I'm not sure I see any issue here? Asking for proof of onward travel is fairly common and takes less than 10 seconds to show at the check-in counter. With mobiles these days it's as simple as

Thats very true - it was just a surprise and at the end of 30 days o/s I was not really thinking at my best - but when am I ever? She did actually ask for a printed copy.

edit: oops rays changed to days.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Thats very true - it was just a surprise and at the end of 30 rays o/s I was not really thinking at my best - but when am I ever? She did actually ask for a printed copy.

yeah. JQ asked for printed once at MEL. I had to go to the service desk to get them to print out the itinerary and take it back to chicken Recently they accepted it via phone though. There's a separate manual processing desk JQ uses in MEL to do whatever they need to do with these things. Lots of people from both the eocnomy kiosks and business class chicken were taken aside to be processed there.