Jetstar fined for changing passenger's nationality

[oz_mark]

Aussie airline Jetstar fined for changing passenger's nationality | News.com.au

BUDGET Australian airline Jetstar was today fined $NZ6500 ($US5220) after the nationality of a Chinese passenger flying out of Melbourne was changed to Swiss - which allowed her to board a flight to New Zealand without a visa.

In the Christchurch District Court Judge David Saunders accepted that the change was simply an error, with the country codes being very similar.

 

[opusman]

And who said they're not a full-service airline!

 

[TonyHancock]

Another reason not to fly JQ. Board as an Australian deplane as a French. I'll have sleepless nights about that.

 

[Austman]

... errr Swiss I think. They thought CH stood for China. Everyone knows it stands for Confoederatio Helvetica, of course!

 

[TonyHancock]

... errr Swiss I think. They thought CH stood for China. Everyone knows it stands for Confoederatio Helvetica, of course!

I'm just fearing the worst!

 

[Mal]

How did this stuff-up occur I wonder? Do Check-in staff have to choose the passport issuing country? I thought this would be automatically entered when they swipe the passport.

 

[anat0l]

"Guten tag. I am from Austria."

*shudder* I'd like to see them process that one. Or even from Germany... "I am so sorry, sir, but you came from Georgia so you should've applied for a visa before you enter New Zealand..."

What an embarrassing blunder. You'd think that with the high volume of Asian pax one would know the code for China easily (i.e. through practice)?

 

[medhead]

I don't think it was a case of CH means china. H and N are adjacent on the keyboard. Simple slip of the finger could explain it. But the story does say they *changed* the country from CN to CH. A slip of the finger sure doesn't explain a proactive (?) change being made.

"Guten tag. I am from Austria."

Guten tag. Ich bin aus Osterreich.


Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app so please excuse the lack of links.

 

[Austman]

She was a citizen of China and was required to obtain a visa beforehand.

When she went to the check-in, she provided her correct details and a message appeared on the computer system telling the clerk to contact Immigration New Zealand because the passenger did not have a visa.

The passenger's nationality was then changed from China (CN) to Switzerland (CH) on the system, which allowed her to board because Swiss nationals can enter New Zealand without visas.

When asked for an explanation, the company replied by letter: "The check-in agent had received the directive but thought she had entered the incorrect country code, so she amended the country code to CH."

Read more: Jetstar fined after staffer changed passenger's nationality to avoid visa
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Seems she thought CH stood for China (and that CN was incorrect).

 

[anat0l]

I don't think it was a case of CH means china. H and N are adjacent on the keyboard. Simple slip of the finger could explain it. But the story does say they *changed* the country from CN to CH. A slip of the finger sure doesn't explain a proactive (?) change being made.

Even if it were a slip of the finger, as you can see it has had severe consequences anyway, so not to let her off with a slap on the wrist...

 

[medhead]

Even if it were a slip of the finger, as you can see it has had severe consequences anyway, so not to let her off with a slap on the wrist...

I didn't make any comment about the appropriate penalty certainly nothing about slaps on the wrist. I also said it *could* be a slip. However, my strong feeling is that they did something dodgy to make the "no visa" pop up go away with minimum fuss. A view supported by the quote Austman provided.


Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app so please excuse the lack of links.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

It must depend on what airline system is used as to whether it accepts the 2 digit or 3 digit country code which is almost always displayed inside the passport of a passenger.

QF's Altea checkin system will automatically populate the APIS fields when the passport is scanned. I don't know whether JQ's Navitaire system allows scanning or whether it requires the checkin agent to manually enter the 2 digit code in which case you would think they would have a list at checkin they could refer to.

Even still, it's the checkin agents job to realise they are checking in a passenger holding a Chinese passport who requires a visa to enter New Zealand which they should double check in timatic.

It would be pretty naive to think just by changing the code of the nationality in the system will simply allow the pax to enter NZ. The passenger with be returned to the country where they boarded the inbound flight & the airline will cop a USD5000.00 fine for carrying the passenger to NZ without valid documentation for entry to that country.

IMHO it was just a simple error made by the checkin agent.



.

 

[Simo]

IMHO it was a mistake by the check in agent.

It's not like the pax got a free pass into the country of destination without any paperwork.