Air NZ and Visas
 

Would Air NZ, stop someone boarding a flight if they didn't have the appropriate visas?

Bearing in mind this is a transit query and USA is the transit location.

Thanks in advance

If they pick it up, it is virtually guaranteed they will deny boarding. There can be pretty significant fines for airlines which uplift pax who don't comply with visa requirements.

The computer will say "no" at checkin. The checkin system ties in with SITA and that systems checks the relevant countries to ensure the person is allowed in. (SITA was the system that went down the other month and caused the not being able to check in international flights (https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/0...ure_australia/)).

Think the fine can be NZ$15k+ for airlines bringing pax to NZ when the computer said no. Heard of one instance where the checkin agent try a few times to massage the name to get them on the plane and then the airline got fined.

Thanks for clarifying!!!...

If flying from USA to NZ then checking in at an offline port may not cause the lack of visa to be picked up. But it will be picked up at the online transit port. NZ require all non-NZ boarding passes to be reissued on NZ stock before they will allow you to board, as a way of confirming that the visa check has been done and the passenger is eligible to enter New Zealand. Immigration NZ will fine Air NZ if they carry someone who then has to be turned round at the border for improper documents.

The OP's question concerns lack of a USA visa to transit in the USA.

Interesting. NZ had (has?) that "special arrangement" at LAX for folks going on to LHR..... I wouldn't have THOUGHT that would remove the requirement for visas in the case of folks normally requiring them... but I suppose it MIGHT have been the case???

If NOT then boarding would certainly be denied..... given that there is no formal "transit" at US airports...

At USA airports there is no such thing as "transit". You must have a USA visa/visa wavier.
You go through the full USA entry requirements and back in again to board the next flight.
Given this question is about Air NZ & USA guessing its AKL-LAX-LHR ?
https://www.airnewzealand.com.au/us-...t-requirements

As pointed out there is no such thing as "transit" in the US. Even on NZ2 transit you enter the US and are free to walk outside if you wish.

No. Even back when NZ used T2 and had a holding pen for LHR-AKL vv transit passengers, everyone still cleared US immigration on arrival and required valid entry eligibility.

I guess when you think about it in Geographical Terms... Who else but NZ would be in a geographical position to transit through USA..... And of course, it's the greatest country in the world, it's the end destination ;)

Think the others who do international transit are Air France and Air Tahiti Nui from Papeete to CDG.

And in the US it isn't so much Transit it is they let international and domestic mingle on Departure.

The only benefit of "transit" on NZ2 is a transit card that will give you access to the transit queue at TSA screening (if it's actually in use).

Transiting NZ2 still requires an ESTA and full CBP clearance. Once you've been through the transit area and had your boarding pass stamped you're back landside in the terminal and are free to go outside if you wish.

KE used to have Seoul to Sao Paulo (via LAX).
JL used to have Tokyo to Sao Paulo (via JFK).

There used to be one or two Asian carriers routing to Latin America via LAX.
I think maybe Korean or Asiana to Brazil?

And...I see Kiwiflyer beat me to it!