Apr 25, 2017, 6:09 am
Last edit by: JDiver
AA Ground Staff May Deny Boarding for China Transit Without Visa Issues
This thread is ONLY for discussion of American Airlines' ground staff dealing with Chinese TWOV issues. For further information, see:
FlyerTalk Forums > Destinations > Asia > China Forum
China Visa / Visas Master Thread (all you need to know)
and / or
China 24, 72, and 144 hour Transit Without Visa ("TWOV") rules master thread
The issue: though Chinese immigration authorities seem disposed to allow transit without visa for passengers going on to flights with connections in non-China, non-origin destinations, e.g. LAX-PVG <permitted TWOV> PVG-NRT-LAX, AA ground staff have denied boarding to passengers for the XXX-China leg.
Even if such a passenger were to secure alternate arrangements or reimbursement, there is still sure to be considerable inconvenience. Until AA informs ground staff such travel complies with China TWOV rules, purchasing such an itinerary currently entails some degree of risk, as evidenced in the following thread.
AA generally uses IATA Timatic to verify boarding eligibility. Link to Timatic Web provided courtesy of United Airlines; this form provides information on entry requirements, not departure policies as might be administered by any airline.
144 TWOV China- AA Issues/Questions
Apr 27, 2017, 7:48 pm
#586
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: AA EXP (owe), BA Silver (ows), AB Silver (owr), WN A+/CP, IHG Spire AMB, Avis First
Posts: 1,414
I've been following this thread as I'm planning to enter China using the TWOV rules in a couple of weeks. Fortunately my itinerary is more straightforward than the OPs.
The common english language definition of the word transit is simply "the act or fact of passing across or through; passage from one place to another." There is nothing in the definition that refers to a particular length of time. While the airlines may have conditioned us otherwise, why would China's immigration policy refer to airline jargon rather than the basic definition of the word?
The common english language definition of the word transit is simply "the act or fact of passing across or through; passage from one place to another." There is nothing in the definition that refers to a particular length of time. While the airlines may have conditioned us otherwise, why would China's immigration policy refer to airline jargon rather than the basic definition of the word?
And this is flyertalk, for crying out loud, full of "worldly" travelers who should know better. The Chinese have set out (in the text of the law) what the exact conditions are, and a forum full of English speakers are, judging from a Chinese document --- "no,no,no based on the title of the law, they didn't mean that- they meant this!" ---- seriously, people..., sigh *facepalm* the world we live in.
Apr 27, 2017, 8:04 pm
#587
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
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Are there even phones capable of doing international calls at the check-in stations? (even simple US domestic call)
And I wonder if calling any gov. agency in China is like calling the IRS. Does ever a real person answer the phone and someone fluent in English? And what about time difference?
Also, I did not know the check-in agents have readily available "indemnity" forms under the counter or even have the ability the create one.
And I wonder if calling any gov. agency in China is like calling the IRS. Does ever a real person answer the phone and someone fluent in English? And what about time difference?
Also, I did not know the check-in agents have readily available "indemnity" forms under the counter or even have the ability the create one.
Apr 27, 2017, 10:14 pm
#588
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Manhattan Beach, California
Programs: BMI Diamond Club Gold forever
Posts: 6,367
I didnt think so.
Apr 28, 2017, 12:40 am
#589
Join Date: Jul 2007
Programs: QFF
Posts: 5,304
Well US carriers do use Timatic which is based on information provided by the Chinese representatives to the IATA. Timatic is not used only by American carriers but by a number of carriers around the world. Absence some clarification from the Chinese representative to Timatic, AA agents, like many other airlines, will continue to have the same issues with the terms in Timatic.
Apr 28, 2017, 3:08 am
#590
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, National Exec, AA EXP Emeritus
Posts: 9,765
This thread seems to go around in circles every 30 posts or so. I'm going to let it rest for a bit.
The ongoing China TWOV thread is in the wiki, please feel free to read up on the topic there.
~Moderator
Update 7 May 2017: Thread is being reopened as the OP has news to share; please note that the thread will suffer the same fate if it goes back into an echo chamber.
The ongoing China TWOV thread is in the wiki, please feel free to read up on the topic there.
~Moderator
Update 7 May 2017: Thread is being reopened as the OP has news to share; please note that the thread will suffer the same fate if it goes back into an echo chamber.
Last edited by Microwave; May 7, 2017 at 8:54 am
May 7, 2017, 2:33 pm
#591
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 36
Final Resolution Update:
AA accepted responsibility and confirmed that I was incorrectly denied boarding based on my itinerary and TWOV guidelines.
I will be refunded the fare difference plus all incidental expenses related to the change of itinerary as well as all MCE fees we paid for the trip.
Additionally, I was offered and accepted 400% of the one way fare for each member of my family. I was able to choose between a combination of vouchers and cash with vouchers being a higher value.
I am thankful and relieved that AA made it right in the end. I will say that it took a plea to the Social Media department (specifically twitter) to get someone to respond to my complaint. All responses I received from the online submission form were completely boiler plate sorry you had a problem. It wasn't until the twitter team read my complaint and forwarded it to a specialty department that my complaint got to the right person.
I appreciate the support from most of you and particularly to those who reached out privately.
Jason
AA accepted responsibility and confirmed that I was incorrectly denied boarding based on my itinerary and TWOV guidelines.
I will be refunded the fare difference plus all incidental expenses related to the change of itinerary as well as all MCE fees we paid for the trip.
Additionally, I was offered and accepted 400% of the one way fare for each member of my family. I was able to choose between a combination of vouchers and cash with vouchers being a higher value.
I am thankful and relieved that AA made it right in the end. I will say that it took a plea to the Social Media department (specifically twitter) to get someone to respond to my complaint. All responses I received from the online submission form were completely boiler plate sorry you had a problem. It wasn't until the twitter team read my complaint and forwarded it to a specialty department that my complaint got to the right person.
I appreciate the support from most of you and particularly to those who reached out privately.
Jason
May 7, 2017, 3:16 pm
#593
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AU
Programs: former Olympic Airways Gold (yeah - still proud of that!)
Posts: 14,406
Thanks for the update and that you got a semi-acceptable outcome ('semi' because it really shouldn't have got to the stage where it impacted your holiday in the first place 
)
Is there anything which can be shared with flyertalk, particularly for the main TWOV thread in the China forum, to assist someone else who may find themselves in the same position in the future? For example, the name of the department your issue was finally referred to? This might at least mean issues can be resolved before the plane leaves.
)Is there anything which can be shared with flyertalk, particularly for the main TWOV thread in the China forum, to assist someone else who may find themselves in the same position in the future? For example, the name of the department your issue was finally referred to? This might at least mean issues can be resolved before the plane leaves.
May 7, 2017, 3:32 pm
#594
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 36
Thanks for the update and that you got a semi-acceptable outcome ('semi' because it really shouldn't have got to the stage where it impacted your holiday in the first place )
Is there anything which can be shared with flyertalk, particularly for the main TWOV thread in the China forum, to assist someone else who may find themselves in the same position in the future? For example, the name of the department your issue was finally referred to? This might at least mean issues can be resolved before the plane leaves.
)Is there anything which can be shared with flyertalk, particularly for the main TWOV thread in the China forum, to assist someone else who may find themselves in the same position in the future? For example, the name of the department your issue was finally referred to? This might at least mean issues can be resolved before the plane leaves.