APIS and ESTA in Turkish Airlines
Nov 12, 2015, 2:42 pm
#17
Moderator, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles & Accor ALL
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: BRU
Programs: TK*G, Accor ALL Platinum
Posts: 7,586
Hello, I just booked a Turkish Airlines flight BUD -> IST -> JFK and I want to fill APIS information in my bookings menu, but there is only Visa Info option and I am going to USA on ESTA. I cant enter my ESTA number, it wont let me click on Next. What should I do? As far as I know, APIS is required while flying to US.
Thank you very much
Thank you very much
Dec 15, 2015, 1:31 am
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
Programs: UAMP S, TK M&S E (*G), Marriott LTP, IHG P, SK EBG
Posts: 11,095
We are 5 people travelling and I found entering that information 5 times is brutal (mostly due to TK's IT system).
Dec 15, 2015, 1:47 am
#20
Moderator, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles & Accor ALL
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: BRU
Programs: TK*G, Accor ALL Platinum
Posts: 7,586
Dec 16, 2015, 1:26 am
#21
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
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Dec 17, 2015, 1:26 am
#23
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
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Booked through OTA so no one asked me for anything. 1 C award ticket is booked through TK online but again never ask for passport info - ticketed at TK HKG office, again nothing about passport info.
Dec 19, 2015, 5:50 am
#24
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: EDI
Programs: Flying Blue PFL; IHG Rewards Club Diamond; HHonors Silver
Posts: 423
TK seem to have a bit of a problem with documentation for international arrivals. I arrived in Taipei this evening from Istanbul and during the flight the FAs handed out visa application forms for entry to Taiwan. Fortunately, I have been to Taiwan before and knew that this was nonsense for many people (I am from the UK and so I am visa-exempt) and the visa form also asked for two passport photos, as if many people boarding a flight have a stock of passport photos in their hand luggage. Anyway, at Taipei I collected a landing card (not handed out by TK on the flight) and had no problems with immigration. However, I noticed many less fortunate people handing over the visa form and being told to go away and fill in a landing card.
Oct 12, 2016, 2:12 pm
#25
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: East Berlin
Posts: 1,533
TK still don't appear to have sorted this issue. I am unable to proceed from this page because it requires details of my visa. I don't have a visa. My passport falls under the Visa Waiver Program. I don't have that information.
I don't particularly want to faff around at an airport check-in desk. I travel with hand baggage only and avoid any sort of transactions or queues etc. at desks, preferring to go directly to security. I'll be connecting to TK airside in any event.
Can this be done over the phone or the at the gate?
Palmer
I don't particularly want to faff around at an airport check-in desk. I travel with hand baggage only and avoid any sort of transactions or queues etc. at desks, preferring to go directly to security. I'll be connecting to TK airside in any event.
Can this be done over the phone or the at the gate?
Palmer
Oct 13, 2016, 2:12 am
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
Programs: UAMP S, TK M&S E (*G), Marriott LTP, IHG P, SK EBG
Posts: 11,095
Going to the US with TK hasn't been that easy for us - not sure because we travelled with kids.
When we got to IST - at the gate to IAH flight we were asked for our return tickets print out. I said I have it electronically and he could also call the PNRs to see the e-tickets. Then he said where's our ESTA approval print out - I said we don't print it out as you can also see if it's approved or not. I had a screenshot in my laptop and I told him that I can show him that if he needs to. He called someone and after a while he let us through.
Then of course we were subjected to extra screening - all the pax with kids were told to do secondary screening. I flew with SK ex-CPH and none of this ever happened to us.
When we got to IST - at the gate to IAH flight we were asked for our return tickets print out. I said I have it electronically and he could also call the PNRs to see the e-tickets. Then he said where's our ESTA approval print out - I said we don't print it out as you can also see if it's approved or not. I had a screenshot in my laptop and I told him that I can show him that if he needs to. He called someone and after a while he let us through.
Then of course we were subjected to extra screening - all the pax with kids were told to do secondary screening. I flew with SK ex-CPH and none of this ever happened to us.
Oct 20, 2016, 4:11 am
#27
Join Date: May 2015
Location: ATL/MCO
Programs: Costco Executive, RaceTrac Sultan of Soda, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 5,662
Going to the US with TK hasn't been that easy for us - not sure because we travelled with kids.
When we got to IST - at the gate to IAH flight we were asked for our return tickets print out. I said I have it electronically and he could also call the PNRs to see the e-tickets. Then he said where's our ESTA approval print out - I said we don't print it out as you can also see if it's approved or not. I had a screenshot in my laptop and I told him that I can show him that if he needs to. He called someone and after a while he let us through.
Then of course we were subjected to extra screening - all the pax with kids were told to do secondary screening. I flew with SK ex-CPH and none of this ever happened to us.
When we got to IST - at the gate to IAH flight we were asked for our return tickets print out. I said I have it electronically and he could also call the PNRs to see the e-tickets. Then he said where's our ESTA approval print out - I said we don't print it out as you can also see if it's approved or not. I had a screenshot in my laptop and I told him that I can show him that if he needs to. He called someone and after a while he let us through.
Then of course we were subjected to extra screening - all the pax with kids were told to do secondary screening. I flew with SK ex-CPH and none of this ever happened to us.
Well security was breeze but what was going on at the gate pain in the a**. When I got there, both TK and Gözen security had to do the visa check and ended up with 4 stickers on my passport. And of course return tickets and esta printouts and blood samples were asked for.
After that came a counter you had to give your bp and passport and his job was to make sure you have all the stickers and direct you to secondary screening if you're SSSS or you look suspicious.
As luck would have it I got SSSS on my bp which also sent me to secondary at the gate and that took around 10 mins where they swabbed my hands for explosives and searched every crevice of my backpack.
Suffice to say from getting to the gate to the plane was an hour long process even if you had fast lane access.
Oct 20, 2016, 12:22 pm
#28
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
Programs: UAMP S, TK M&S E (*G), Marriott LTP, IHG P, SK EBG
Posts: 11,095
I agree, transiting from the EU to the US is tiring. When we landed we were directed to transit security even if EU arrivals are clean and there was a Gözen rep. manning the airside passage, he asked where I was going and I said "Miami". He then told me to proceed thru the transit checkpoint "Because US flight".
Well security was breeze but what was going on at the gate pain in the a**. When I got there, both TK and Gözen security had to do the visa check and ended up with 4 stickers on my passport. And of course return tickets and esta printouts and blood samples were asked for.
After that came a counter you had to give your bp and passport and his job was to make sure you have all the stickers and direct you to secondary screening if you're SSSS or you look suspicious.
As luck would have it I got SSSS on my bp which also sent me to secondary at the gate and that took around 10 mins where they swabbed my hands for explosives and searched every crevice of my backpack.
Suffice to say from getting to the gate to the plane was an hour long process even if you had fast lane access.
Well security was breeze but what was going on at the gate pain in the a**. When I got there, both TK and Gözen security had to do the visa check and ended up with 4 stickers on my passport. And of course return tickets and esta printouts and blood samples were asked for.
After that came a counter you had to give your bp and passport and his job was to make sure you have all the stickers and direct you to secondary screening if you're SSSS or you look suspicious.
As luck would have it I got SSSS on my bp which also sent me to secondary at the gate and that took around 10 mins where they swabbed my hands for explosives and searched every crevice of my backpack.
Suffice to say from getting to the gate to the plane was an hour long process even if you had fast lane access.
Flying SK ex-CPH was a breeze compared to this - really don't understand the reason behind this insane security.
Oct 20, 2016, 1:31 pm
#29
Join Date: May 2015
Location: ATL/MCO
Programs: Costco Executive, RaceTrac Sultan of Soda, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 5,662
Really don't understand the ordeal about flying to the US from IST. Once those stupid Gozen forgot to put a sticker on one of our passports - we were stopped at the jetway after 3 various screenings. Fortunately we didn't have to go back and they just told us to wait and put back that stupid sticker on the back on one of the passports.
Flying SK ex-CPH was a breeze compared to this - really don't understand the reason behind this insane security.
Flying SK ex-CPH was a breeze compared to this - really don't understand the reason behind this insane security.
Oct 21, 2016, 6:05 pm
#30
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Traveling the World
Posts: 6,072
Usually I can add the Advanced Passenger Information along with my passport# after booking my reservation and I do this via the airline's website when I go to select the seats and request special meals etc.
The machine readable passports store all the information and the Ticket Counter Agent swipes the passport which will populate the information on the screen confirming if its all correct. Then the Agent presses a key to spit out the boarding passes with an "API or DOCS OK" message so you will not need to present yourself at the gate.
The API information needs to be entered in advance of boarding the flight whether you do it yourself online after purchase, during online checkin or at the airport it just needs to be done before you board as the manifest is then sent to the proper authorities at US Customs, Department of Homeland Security, European authorities.
If you are on a no fly list the system will show an error message like"API Error" or Passenger Error" cannot proceed with cehckin or Enter Redress# with a supervisor needing to be called who will then in turn call the authorities to validate or deny your travel.
As for ESTA when you go online to get your ESTA its linked to your passport. This must be done at least 72 hours prior to travel. While you may be able to get it later than that I would not risk it. The agent will see that your ESTA has been approved. If you do not have an ESTA or if its not approved you will then be denied boarding and you may be switched to a later flight while you work out the issue.
I hope this helps.
The machine readable passports store all the information and the Ticket Counter Agent swipes the passport which will populate the information on the screen confirming if its all correct. Then the Agent presses a key to spit out the boarding passes with an "API or DOCS OK" message so you will not need to present yourself at the gate.
The API information needs to be entered in advance of boarding the flight whether you do it yourself online after purchase, during online checkin or at the airport it just needs to be done before you board as the manifest is then sent to the proper authorities at US Customs, Department of Homeland Security, European authorities.
If you are on a no fly list the system will show an error message like"API Error" or Passenger Error" cannot proceed with cehckin or Enter Redress# with a supervisor needing to be called who will then in turn call the authorities to validate or deny your travel.
As for ESTA when you go online to get your ESTA its linked to your passport. This must be done at least 72 hours prior to travel. While you may be able to get it later than that I would not risk it. The agent will see that your ESTA has been approved. If you do not have an ESTA or if its not approved you will then be denied boarding and you may be switched to a later flight while you work out the issue.
I hope this helps.