[Travelandtourism] Travel Troubleshooter: Why Can't I Transit Through London?

[Mary Donahue]

Thanks for posting this, Reese. I guess it pays to have one's paper work
handy.

Mary Donahue


-----Original Message-----
From: travelandtourism-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:travelandtourism-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Reese
Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2012 7:07 AM
To: NFB Travel and Tourism Division List
Subject: [Travelandtourism] Travel Troubleshooter: Why Can't I Transit
Through London?

Have your paper work in order before flying internationally.

Q: I'm an Indian national residing in the United States. I was scheduled to
fly from Houston to Mumbai on British Airways (www.ba.com) recently. My
itinerary involved a short stopover in London.

In Houston, while checking in with British Airways, I was denied boarding
because my work visa was not stamped in my passport. The original visa
stamped in my passport had expired and I was traveling to India in order to
get my renewed visa stamped at the U.S. consulate in Mumbai.

I was carrying an application that permits me to continue living and working
legally in the U.S. and to travel abroad. However, before re-entering the
U.S., I'm required to obtain a valid U.S. visa stamp in my passport.

I tried my best to explain this to the check-in agent; however, she was
adamant in not allowing me to transit through London. This was a Catch-22
situation for me -- I could not go to India without my visa stamped in my
passport and I could not get my visa stamped unless I visited the consulate
in India.

The British Airways check-in staff was very unsympathetic and unhelpful. I
was quoted a charge of around $500 to allow me to fly on my return ticket
when I said I was ready to fly out to Mumbai with a different carrier. I've
tried to get a partial refund from the airline for my unused ticket, but it
hasn't responded. Can you help me? -- Mita Upadhyay, Corpus Christi, Texas

A: British Airways should have made its travel policies regarding visas
crystal-clear to you. I checked with the airline, and it insists it did.

In order to transit in the UK without a visa on an Indian passport, you need
one of seven types of documents, which may include a valid U.S. visa sticker
in your passport or a valid U.S. permanent resident card.

"Our staff in Houston would seem to have been correct to deny this passenger
boarding," said an airline spokeswoman. "There are links on ba.com that
allow passengers to check their passport and visa requirements for their
journey."

At the same time, British Airways should have been more compassionate about
your situation, in the interests of good customer service. You couldn't get
the required stamp without visiting the consulate in Mumbai. Given your
predicament, it would have been a nice gesture of the airline to reroute you
on a flight that didn't require a stopover in London.

But it wasn't required to do that. Unfortunately, having all your paperwork
in order is your responsibility and yours alone. Even if British Airways
didn't disclose its visa requirements on its site, you would have still been
responsible. And yes, even if your travel agent had told you otherwise.

Still, British Airways offered a refund of $125 and a $600 flight credit,
which represents half of your airfare to Mumbai -- an exceptionally generous
resolution.


Peachtree Travel
Independent Travel Consultant

(phone) 770-280-5029

(website: http://www.peachtreetravel.net.

Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel CST-1018299-10
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