One way flights - Problems with Check in staff

[one9]

Hi,

I thought I would post about a problem I have had around 3 times.

Often when I travel to Thailand for business I book award flights as BA has quite a bit of award availability. Often I am not sure how long I will stay and whether I will return directly to Australia or make a trip to another destination. So it makes sense to buy a one way ticket.

But when checking in with Qantas or British Airways, often the check in staff ask to see an onward ticket. On the last few occasions, I have produced my APEC card and said that I have not had a problem before and with some grumbling, phone call or checking with supervisor, they check me in.

I realise that one time they may say no. And I don't really like the hassle.

I am thinking about booking a return award flight, as I will only be out 5000 points when I cancel it. But this is still a waste of 5000 points. I could probably also book a fully refundable one way ticket out and cancel it, but this is quite a bit of hassle.

Does anyone else encounter this problem? And what do they do?

 

[Mal]

Qantas or BA or whoever you fly over with is only trying to cover their butts if something goes wrong and you are denied entry.

Thailand for example, has the following in their visa rules:

http://www.timaticweb.com/cgi-bin/t...RY=TH&SECTION=VI&user=AMADEB2C&subuser=QANTAS

Those travelling to Thailand with a visa issued prior to
arrival, are permitted to travel on a one-way ticket.

- All visitors must hold documents required for their next
destination.

- Visitors over 12 years of age must hold sufficient funds to
cover their stay (at least THB 20,000.- or USD 640.- per
person/family). Proof of funds includes Letters of Credit,
vouchers, MCO's or well-known credit cards, which are
honoured in Thailand. Exempt are: holders of a re-entry
visa.
- Applicable to those who do not need a visa: (restriction to

a total of 90 days stay in Thailand within any 6 month
period;
- extension of stay is possible, provided not exceeding the
90 days within any 6 month period restriction. One photo

required.

Warning:
- Non-compliance with visa requirements will result in:
- refusal and immediate deportation of the passenger; and
- fines for the airline of THB 20,000.-; and
- overstay fine for the passenger of THB 500.- per day (but
not exceeding in total THB 20,000.-).

So they're thinking that you might be asked at immigration for your return paperwork, denied entry and then they are fined and have to transport you home.

I don't believe the APEC card is a visa per se, although it does allow entry.

So normally you will see these types of checks where heavy fines apply to the carrier if you are refused entry - same as Qantas checking that your passport has 6+ months validity etc etc.

I'm not sure of the easiest way to get around it. Perhaps a fully refundable one way ticket ex-Thailand (can be hard to get due to credit card rules unless in the country) that you can cancel.


Edit: See also the available visa options for Australian passport holders:
http://www.thaiconsulatesydney.org/visa/A/Australia.html

Perhaps a multi-entry visa might help resolve the issue...

 

[MrHyde]

Also, this is not just a problem for Thailand. I've had that question numerous times when flying to NZ. I just show them a print out from the NZ consulate website saying that Australians are allowed to stay and work indefinately in NZ.

 

[ANstar]

An airline must see that you have outward travel to a place that you have the right to remain and stay without restriction. If when you arrive at your destination and don't have that paperwork, the airline can cop a visa infringement in the range of $5000 USD.

 

[BlueAU]

Happened to me and my friend who was travelling to the USA. I didn't have a return ticket, as I was staying around in North America for a while. I flashed my B1/B2 visa and all was good, but for my mate, he needed a ticket or he would not have been issued BP ..

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Probably the most convenient thing to do is purchase a fully flexible return fare ex BKK/SYD/BKK or even a one way BKK/SYD would do. Quite often fares purchased in Asia are less restrictive than those bought in Australia.

That way you can keep pushing the date back on this ticket all the while purchasing one way tickets Australia to Asia then from Asia to your next onward port.

Keep in mind though that if you fly on to another country after BKK (eg HKG) & intend to fly back to Oz from there you no doubt will encounter the same drama with immigration in that country as you would in Thailand.

Although you possess a BKK/SYD ticket, HKG customs/immigration may want to see a ticket ex HKG.

Probably the cheapest international ticket to purchase is BKK to SGN (Ho Chi Minh) or VTE (Vientiane). It's a possibility that Thailand immigration will not only want to see the onward ticket but a visa for that next country also.

People I've spoken to always say they never have a problem with Thai immigration arriving on one way tickets I think it's more getting past the check-in people in Australia who are only doing their job by adhering to the requirements stated in Timatic (see Mal's post above).

Cheers
Oz

 

[oz_mark]

People I've spoken to always say they never have a problem with Thai immigration arriving on one way tickets I think it's more getting past the check-in people in Australia who are only doing their job by adhering to the requirements stated in Timatic (see Mal's post above).

Thai immigration has been known to have crackdowns on this from time to time.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Thai immigration has been known to have crackdowns on this from time to time.

A fine example of the saying "the law may sleep, but never dies"!

Oz

 

[Aussie_flyer]

Yes, it's rare but I HAVE been asked for proof of onward or return travel by Thai immigration before.

You are obviously entering in with the visa exemption program, perhaps it's time you start getting a visa if you are having this problem. Particularly if you are going for business purposes.

You could also buy a cheapie ticket to somewhere like KL on Air Asia to show them if it comes down to it.

 

[Hvr]

I wonder how Jet* would handle you not having an onward ticket? Last year I flew SIN-MNL on one of their intra-Asia flights and had to show an onward ticket before they would check me in.

When I arrived in MNL one of their immigration staff asked to see my onward ticket as well. It was a polite low key request and as soon as I pulled out my onward flight advice I was welcomed to the country.

I can't imagine Australian immigration staff being too welcoming to incoming visitors who don't have an onward ticket so I guess what goes around comes around.