Why did British Airways reject my family during check-in on a flight through UK despite them having US and...
Today I had a terrible experience with British Airways. My family (my wife and 8-year old son) was not allowed to check in to a British Airways flight scheduled from Brussels (Belgium) to Heathrow (UK) this morning. It’s the first leg of their journey, followed by a connecting British airways flight from Heathrow to Bangalore, India (their final destination).
The issue was whether my family would need a transit visa for layover of 2 hours at the London Heathrow airport without changing the terminal (Terminal 5). The lady at the British airways Check-In assistance desk @Brussels airport kept arguing that we must have a transit visa to pass through UK Border control. I tried to convince her that my family wouldn’t need to cross border control since they wouldn’t need to change terminal/airport. In addition, my family had valid US visas on their passports and valid resident permits from an EEA country (the plastic cards with chip issued by Belgium authority/commune). This means my family is exempted of a transit visa and wouldn’t need a Direct Airside Transit visa (DATV) or a Visitor in Transit visa.
https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y/india/transit/somewhere_else/no
But the lady at the British Airways Check-in desk failed to understand this. Instead she was forcing us to buy another airlines ticket from an adjacent counter. After much persuasion, the lady at the British Airways Check-in desk agreed to check in my wife but denied check-in for my son. This was because my wife had a valid resident permit card (plastic card) with a chip while my son had his valid resident permit in paper format (issued by the Belgian commune and legally accepted everywhere) and not in plastic with a chip. For me, it was very strange.
I was very much aware of the visa guidelines as outlined by www.Gov.UK and therefore I tried to explain the same to the lady at the British Airways check-in assistance desk @Brussels airport. But it was in vein as she or her duty manager did not allow my family to check in at the end.
Was British Airways wrong to deny us check-in?
visas air-travel uk paperwork
New contributor
|
show 6 more comments
Today I had a terrible experience with British Airways. My family (my wife and 8-year old son) was not allowed to check in to a British Airways flight scheduled from Brussels (Belgium) to Heathrow (UK) this morning. It’s the first leg of their journey, followed by a connecting British airways flight from Heathrow to Bangalore, India (their final destination).
The issue was whether my family would need a transit visa for layover of 2 hours at the London Heathrow airport without changing the terminal (Terminal 5). The lady at the British airways Check-In assistance desk @Brussels airport kept arguing that we must have a transit visa to pass through UK Border control. I tried to convince her that my family wouldn’t need to cross border control since they wouldn’t need to change terminal/airport. In addition, my family had valid US visas on their passports and valid resident permits from an EEA country (the plastic cards with chip issued by Belgium authority/commune). This means my family is exempted of a transit visa and wouldn’t need a Direct Airside Transit visa (DATV) or a Visitor in Transit visa.
https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y/india/transit/somewhere_else/no
But the lady at the British Airways Check-in desk failed to understand this. Instead she was forcing us to buy another airlines ticket from an adjacent counter. After much persuasion, the lady at the British Airways Check-in desk agreed to check in my wife but denied check-in for my son. This was because my wife had a valid resident permit card (plastic card) with a chip while my son had his valid resident permit in paper format (issued by the Belgian commune and legally accepted everywhere) and not in plastic with a chip. For me, it was very strange.
I was very much aware of the visa guidelines as outlined by www.Gov.UK and therefore I tried to explain the same to the lady at the British Airways check-in assistance desk @Brussels airport. But it was in vein as she or her duty manager did not allow my family to check in at the end.
Was British Airways wrong to deny us check-in?
visas air-travel uk paperwork
New contributor
I don't know if BA was right or not to deny boarding. In case they weren't, you do have rights (by EU regulation 261/2004). Please read this page from EUclaim for more info.
– JJJ
4 hours ago
I believe that to qualify for the residence permit exemption, the permit must be a "common-format" document, which probably explains why they did not accept your son's paper document.
– phoog
3 hours ago
2
And your question for us is what, exactly? I'm flagging this question for closure because it's just a rant in disguise, not a real question. This site is for questions, not for making demands of airlines or complaining about their treatment of you.
– EJoshuaS
3 hours ago
1
Please see: Why we're not customer support for your least favorite company. It's unclear what you think we can do about this. We can't force them to let you on the plane, issue an apology, or give you your money back.
– EJoshuaS
3 hours ago
1
@EJoshuaS we get lots of questions like this and we try to be sensitive to the fact that these sorts of incidents can cost hundreds or thousands of euros (unlike many customer service type questions on Stack Overflow, for example).
– phoog
3 hours ago
|
show 6 more comments
Today I had a terrible experience with British Airways. My family (my wife and 8-year old son) was not allowed to check in to a British Airways flight scheduled from Brussels (Belgium) to Heathrow (UK) this morning. It’s the first leg of their journey, followed by a connecting British airways flight from Heathrow to Bangalore, India (their final destination).
The issue was whether my family would need a transit visa for layover of 2 hours at the London Heathrow airport without changing the terminal (Terminal 5). The lady at the British airways Check-In assistance desk @Brussels airport kept arguing that we must have a transit visa to pass through UK Border control. I tried to convince her that my family wouldn’t need to cross border control since they wouldn’t need to change terminal/airport. In addition, my family had valid US visas on their passports and valid resident permits from an EEA country (the plastic cards with chip issued by Belgium authority/commune). This means my family is exempted of a transit visa and wouldn’t need a Direct Airside Transit visa (DATV) or a Visitor in Transit visa.
https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y/india/transit/somewhere_else/no
But the lady at the British Airways Check-in desk failed to understand this. Instead she was forcing us to buy another airlines ticket from an adjacent counter. After much persuasion, the lady at the British Airways Check-in desk agreed to check in my wife but denied check-in for my son. This was because my wife had a valid resident permit card (plastic card) with a chip while my son had his valid resident permit in paper format (issued by the Belgian commune and legally accepted everywhere) and not in plastic with a chip. For me, it was very strange.
I was very much aware of the visa guidelines as outlined by www.Gov.UK and therefore I tried to explain the same to the lady at the British Airways check-in assistance desk @Brussels airport. But it was in vein as she or her duty manager did not allow my family to check in at the end.
Was British Airways wrong to deny us check-in?
visas air-travel uk paperwork
New contributor
Today I had a terrible experience with British Airways. My family (my wife and 8-year old son) was not allowed to check in to a British Airways flight scheduled from Brussels (Belgium) to Heathrow (UK) this morning. It’s the first leg of their journey, followed by a connecting British airways flight from Heathrow to Bangalore, India (their final destination).
The issue was whether my family would need a transit visa for layover of 2 hours at the London Heathrow airport without changing the terminal (Terminal 5). The lady at the British airways Check-In assistance desk @Brussels airport kept arguing that we must have a transit visa to pass through UK Border control. I tried to convince her that my family wouldn’t need to cross border control since they wouldn’t need to change terminal/airport. In addition, my family had valid US visas on their passports and valid resident permits from an EEA country (the plastic cards with chip issued by Belgium authority/commune). This means my family is exempted of a transit visa and wouldn’t need a Direct Airside Transit visa (DATV) or a Visitor in Transit visa.
https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y/india/transit/somewhere_else/no
But the lady at the British Airways Check-in desk failed to understand this. Instead she was forcing us to buy another airlines ticket from an adjacent counter. After much persuasion, the lady at the British Airways Check-in desk agreed to check in my wife but denied check-in for my son. This was because my wife had a valid resident permit card (plastic card) with a chip while my son had his valid resident permit in paper format (issued by the Belgian commune and legally accepted everywhere) and not in plastic with a chip. For me, it was very strange.
I was very much aware of the visa guidelines as outlined by www.Gov.UK and therefore I tried to explain the same to the lady at the British Airways check-in assistance desk @Brussels airport. But it was in vein as she or her duty manager did not allow my family to check in at the end.
Was British Airways wrong to deny us check-in?
visas air-travel uk paperwork
visas air-travel uk paperwork
New contributor
New contributor
edited 15 mins ago
JonathanReez♦
48k37228488
48k37228488
New contributor
asked 4 hours ago
SXS
142
142
New contributor
New contributor
I don't know if BA was right or not to deny boarding. In case they weren't, you do have rights (by EU regulation 261/2004). Please read this page from EUclaim for more info.
– JJJ
4 hours ago
I believe that to qualify for the residence permit exemption, the permit must be a "common-format" document, which probably explains why they did not accept your son's paper document.
– phoog
3 hours ago
2
And your question for us is what, exactly? I'm flagging this question for closure because it's just a rant in disguise, not a real question. This site is for questions, not for making demands of airlines or complaining about their treatment of you.
– EJoshuaS
3 hours ago
1
Please see: Why we're not customer support for your least favorite company. It's unclear what you think we can do about this. We can't force them to let you on the plane, issue an apology, or give you your money back.
– EJoshuaS
3 hours ago
1
@EJoshuaS we get lots of questions like this and we try to be sensitive to the fact that these sorts of incidents can cost hundreds or thousands of euros (unlike many customer service type questions on Stack Overflow, for example).
– phoog
3 hours ago
|
show 6 more comments
I don't know if BA was right or not to deny boarding. In case they weren't, you do have rights (by EU regulation 261/2004). Please read this page from EUclaim for more info.
– JJJ
4 hours ago
I believe that to qualify for the residence permit exemption, the permit must be a "common-format" document, which probably explains why they did not accept your son's paper document.
– phoog
3 hours ago
2
And your question for us is what, exactly? I'm flagging this question for closure because it's just a rant in disguise, not a real question. This site is for questions, not for making demands of airlines or complaining about their treatment of you.
– EJoshuaS
3 hours ago
1
Please see: Why we're not customer support for your least favorite company. It's unclear what you think we can do about this. We can't force them to let you on the plane, issue an apology, or give you your money back.
– EJoshuaS
3 hours ago
1
@EJoshuaS we get lots of questions like this and we try to be sensitive to the fact that these sorts of incidents can cost hundreds or thousands of euros (unlike many customer service type questions on Stack Overflow, for example).
– phoog
3 hours ago
I don't know if BA was right or not to deny boarding. In case they weren't, you do have rights (by EU regulation 261/2004). Please read this page from EUclaim for more info.
– JJJ
4 hours ago
I don't know if BA was right or not to deny boarding. In case they weren't, you do have rights (by EU regulation 261/2004). Please read this page from EUclaim for more info.
– JJJ
4 hours ago
I believe that to qualify for the residence permit exemption, the permit must be a "common-format" document, which probably explains why they did not accept your son's paper document.
– phoog
3 hours ago
I believe that to qualify for the residence permit exemption, the permit must be a "common-format" document, which probably explains why they did not accept your son's paper document.
– phoog
3 hours ago
2
2
And your question for us is what, exactly? I'm flagging this question for closure because it's just a rant in disguise, not a real question. This site is for questions, not for making demands of airlines or complaining about their treatment of you.
– EJoshuaS
3 hours ago
And your question for us is what, exactly? I'm flagging this question for closure because it's just a rant in disguise, not a real question. This site is for questions, not for making demands of airlines or complaining about their treatment of you.
– EJoshuaS
3 hours ago
1
1
Please see: Why we're not customer support for your least favorite company. It's unclear what you think we can do about this. We can't force them to let you on the plane, issue an apology, or give you your money back.
– EJoshuaS
3 hours ago
Please see: Why we're not customer support for your least favorite company. It's unclear what you think we can do about this. We can't force them to let you on the plane, issue an apology, or give you your money back.
– EJoshuaS
3 hours ago
1
1
@EJoshuaS we get lots of questions like this and we try to be sensitive to the fact that these sorts of incidents can cost hundreds or thousands of euros (unlike many customer service type questions on Stack Overflow, for example).
– phoog
3 hours ago
@EJoshuaS we get lots of questions like this and we try to be sensitive to the fact that these sorts of incidents can cost hundreds or thousands of euros (unlike many customer service type questions on Stack Overflow, for example).
– phoog
3 hours ago
|
show 6 more comments
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
British Airways had nothing to do with this; it was Aviapartner staff that denied you boarding.
It would appear that TIMATIC, the database used by check-in staff, has a bug: when Nationality=India and Transit Point=United Kingdom, it says:
Visa required, except for Nationals of India with a normal passport transiting through London: Gatwick (LGW), Heathrow (LHR) or Manchester (MAN) with a confirmed onward ticket for a flight to a third country on the same calendar day. They must:
have a visa issued by Australia, Canada, New Zealand or USA,
and
stay in the international transit area of the airport, and
have documents required for the next destination.
However, when Alien resident of=Belgium, this doesn't appear, and as such the staff denied you boarding.
Unfortunately you're likely out of luck, as TIMATIC is run by IATA and is the "bible of airlines". Nonetheless, you could try claiming compensation from Aviapartner and British Airways per EC261, by pointing to the GOV.UK website as well as the fact that, if not selecting "Alien resident of"=Belgium in TIMATIC, the exemption for US visa holders will appear.
Wouldn't the child be exempt (from needing a UK visa for transit) by virtue of having a passport with a visa for the USA? See this list on the UK government website (first bullet point).
– JJJ
1 hour ago
@JJJ Hmm, there seems to be a TIMATIC error. WIll edit
– Crazydre
1 hour ago
add a comment |
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British Airways had nothing to do with this; it was Aviapartner staff that denied you boarding.
It would appear that TIMATIC, the database used by check-in staff, has a bug: when Nationality=India and Transit Point=United Kingdom, it says:
Visa required, except for Nationals of India with a normal passport transiting through London: Gatwick (LGW), Heathrow (LHR) or Manchester (MAN) with a confirmed onward ticket for a flight to a third country on the same calendar day. They must:
have a visa issued by Australia, Canada, New Zealand or USA,
and
stay in the international transit area of the airport, and
have documents required for the next destination.
However, when Alien resident of=Belgium, this doesn't appear, and as such the staff denied you boarding.
Unfortunately you're likely out of luck, as TIMATIC is run by IATA and is the "bible of airlines". Nonetheless, you could try claiming compensation from Aviapartner and British Airways per EC261, by pointing to the GOV.UK website as well as the fact that, if not selecting "Alien resident of"=Belgium in TIMATIC, the exemption for US visa holders will appear.
Wouldn't the child be exempt (from needing a UK visa for transit) by virtue of having a passport with a visa for the USA? See this list on the UK government website (first bullet point).
– JJJ
1 hour ago
@JJJ Hmm, there seems to be a TIMATIC error. WIll edit
– Crazydre
1 hour ago
add a comment |
British Airways had nothing to do with this; it was Aviapartner staff that denied you boarding.
It would appear that TIMATIC, the database used by check-in staff, has a bug: when Nationality=India and Transit Point=United Kingdom, it says:
Visa required, except for Nationals of India with a normal passport transiting through London: Gatwick (LGW), Heathrow (LHR) or Manchester (MAN) with a confirmed onward ticket for a flight to a third country on the same calendar day. They must:
have a visa issued by Australia, Canada, New Zealand or USA,
and
stay in the international transit area of the airport, and
have documents required for the next destination.
However, when Alien resident of=Belgium, this doesn't appear, and as such the staff denied you boarding.
Unfortunately you're likely out of luck, as TIMATIC is run by IATA and is the "bible of airlines". Nonetheless, you could try claiming compensation from Aviapartner and British Airways per EC261, by pointing to the GOV.UK website as well as the fact that, if not selecting "Alien resident of"=Belgium in TIMATIC, the exemption for US visa holders will appear.
Wouldn't the child be exempt (from needing a UK visa for transit) by virtue of having a passport with a visa for the USA? See this list on the UK government website (first bullet point).
– JJJ
1 hour ago
@JJJ Hmm, there seems to be a TIMATIC error. WIll edit
– Crazydre
1 hour ago
add a comment |
British Airways had nothing to do with this; it was Aviapartner staff that denied you boarding.
It would appear that TIMATIC, the database used by check-in staff, has a bug: when Nationality=India and Transit Point=United Kingdom, it says:
Visa required, except for Nationals of India with a normal passport transiting through London: Gatwick (LGW), Heathrow (LHR) or Manchester (MAN) with a confirmed onward ticket for a flight to a third country on the same calendar day. They must:
have a visa issued by Australia, Canada, New Zealand or USA,
and
stay in the international transit area of the airport, and
have documents required for the next destination.
However, when Alien resident of=Belgium, this doesn't appear, and as such the staff denied you boarding.
Unfortunately you're likely out of luck, as TIMATIC is run by IATA and is the "bible of airlines". Nonetheless, you could try claiming compensation from Aviapartner and British Airways per EC261, by pointing to the GOV.UK website as well as the fact that, if not selecting "Alien resident of"=Belgium in TIMATIC, the exemption for US visa holders will appear.
British Airways had nothing to do with this; it was Aviapartner staff that denied you boarding.
It would appear that TIMATIC, the database used by check-in staff, has a bug: when Nationality=India and Transit Point=United Kingdom, it says:
Visa required, except for Nationals of India with a normal passport transiting through London: Gatwick (LGW), Heathrow (LHR) or Manchester (MAN) with a confirmed onward ticket for a flight to a third country on the same calendar day. They must:
have a visa issued by Australia, Canada, New Zealand or USA,
and
stay in the international transit area of the airport, and
have documents required for the next destination.
However, when Alien resident of=Belgium, this doesn't appear, and as such the staff denied you boarding.
Unfortunately you're likely out of luck, as TIMATIC is run by IATA and is the "bible of airlines". Nonetheless, you could try claiming compensation from Aviapartner and British Airways per EC261, by pointing to the GOV.UK website as well as the fact that, if not selecting "Alien resident of"=Belgium in TIMATIC, the exemption for US visa holders will appear.
edited 1 hour ago
answered 1 hour ago
Crazydre
51.6k1094226
51.6k1094226
Wouldn't the child be exempt (from needing a UK visa for transit) by virtue of having a passport with a visa for the USA? See this list on the UK government website (first bullet point).
– JJJ
1 hour ago
@JJJ Hmm, there seems to be a TIMATIC error. WIll edit
– Crazydre
1 hour ago
add a comment |
Wouldn't the child be exempt (from needing a UK visa for transit) by virtue of having a passport with a visa for the USA? See this list on the UK government website (first bullet point).
– JJJ
1 hour ago
@JJJ Hmm, there seems to be a TIMATIC error. WIll edit
– Crazydre
1 hour ago
Wouldn't the child be exempt (from needing a UK visa for transit) by virtue of having a passport with a visa for the USA? See this list on the UK government website (first bullet point).
– JJJ
1 hour ago
Wouldn't the child be exempt (from needing a UK visa for transit) by virtue of having a passport with a visa for the USA? See this list on the UK government website (first bullet point).
– JJJ
1 hour ago
@JJJ Hmm, there seems to be a TIMATIC error. WIll edit
– Crazydre
1 hour ago
@JJJ Hmm, there seems to be a TIMATIC error. WIll edit
– Crazydre
1 hour ago
add a comment |
SXS is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
SXS is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
SXS is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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I don't know if BA was right or not to deny boarding. In case they weren't, you do have rights (by EU regulation 261/2004). Please read this page from EUclaim for more info.
– JJJ
4 hours ago
I believe that to qualify for the residence permit exemption, the permit must be a "common-format" document, which probably explains why they did not accept your son's paper document.
– phoog
3 hours ago
2
And your question for us is what, exactly? I'm flagging this question for closure because it's just a rant in disguise, not a real question. This site is for questions, not for making demands of airlines or complaining about their treatment of you.
– EJoshuaS
3 hours ago
1
Please see: Why we're not customer support for your least favorite company. It's unclear what you think we can do about this. We can't force them to let you on the plane, issue an apology, or give you your money back.
– EJoshuaS
3 hours ago
1
@EJoshuaS we get lots of questions like this and we try to be sensitive to the fact that these sorts of incidents can cost hundreds or thousands of euros (unlike many customer service type questions on Stack Overflow, for example).
– phoog
3 hours ago