ashill

In the OP’s case, there is a very good reason for AA not to check docs: AA wasn’t operating the international segment (since they don’t fly LAX-ICN), so they’re not responsible for the document verification. Since the OP hasn’t come back to say who the operating carrier of the international flight is and other crucial details, this thread is pretty far into speculation.

rufflesinc

still waiting for OP to report on which carrier flew LAX-ICN and if BP for that leg was given by AA

Often1

It doesn't matter.

AA was not the operating carrier of the onward segment and a BP is not alone good enough to board the onward segment (because the onward carrier will check docs as well).

Any Passport Agency can issue a passport in a few weekday hours when the time constraints are there. If OP's relative had the proper documents with her, she might have postponed for a day, headed into LA and camped out at the Passport Agency . All presuming that the next day was not a weekend and that it was a US passport.

winterjs

I didn’t see a reply to say if the OP’s relative’s flighs were on on the same PNR, but if they were and AA issued both boarding passes and the carrier let her on the ICN leg would AA have any liability for not validating the documents?

Do AA’s automated check-in terminals validate the countries expiration requirements either for AA flights or other carriers? Went from dfw to lax to hkg on CX flight numbers and only check of the dates had to be on the AA automated terminals if that was done.

What criteria do gate agents use for when they check passports? I boarded flight today from dfw for hkg today and did not need to show passport at gate. My paper ticket was from the AA check-in terminals so maybe that is the trigger. But if someone flew from Houston on UA and their ticket was on UA paper do they check then?

Often1

1. A BP is not alone sufficient to board an international flight. There must also be a document check. Unless AA and the onward carrier have some side agreement, which is doubtful and seems foolhardy, it is the responsibility of the carrier delivering the undocumented passenger and nothing to do with AA. Basic risk manage suggests that the delivering carrier do a document check no matter what any other carrier says it has done.

2. AA, just like other IATA carriers worldwide uses TIMATIC to determine what documents are required for the specific individual in question. There is free access to the public through any number of websites (I happen to use UA's). Had the passenger in this case done this, she would have seen the expiration requirement.

onuhistorian0116

That seems odd, making the assumption that both the AA domestic leg, and the international leg were the same reservation/ticket.

I’ve been in similar situations, flying a U.S. domestic flight on a different carrier than the international portion of my ticket. Once was similar to the OP’s situation, I flew AA to JFK and transfered to Polish to fly over the Atlantic. The AA agent at CVG checked my passport before checking my bags and providing a single boarding pass. I did have to recheck in at JFK for the LOT portion of the journey. Yet, if I owed any baggage fees, I would have been made to pay AA in CVG the amount owed as per LOT’s bagge fee structure.

Also, when I flew to China, CVG-ORD-ICN-PEK on Asiana with a United codeshare, the United Check-in agent at CVG checked my visa and passport, before checking my bags and printing my boarding pass, which I oddly had to trade in at ORD for boarding passes from Asiana. I also paid $100 to UA in CVG for my baggage. Same with Alaska to Seattle to connect to Delta to China, but no exchange of boarding passes.

If the OP’s grandmother booked with something like Kewi, that just mashed two seperate reservations together, than AA holds absolutely 0 responsibility. But, if it was all a single reservation, and the AA system was aware that the passenger was connecting on to an international flight either through a code share or interlining (which the system would need to be, just to check baggage through to the final destination. Like I mentioned above, I had a similar flight route once, one a single reservation AA CVG-JFK, LOT JFK-WAW-TBS, AA doesn’t seem to be shy about interlining with non-partners.) AA should perform a document check at the point of origination. If, as in my situation, AA and LOT could coordinate so AA could collect baggage fees on behalf of LOT (a non partner airline), there is no reason that non-partner airlines providing service on an interlining agreement can’t also coordinate their systems to require a document check at the point of origination.

trooper

And should they refuse a passenger who doesn't have their passport THEN..when checking in for a purely domestic sector?

If not...if they'll be given an OK for saying "I'm picking it up in LAX" then ..what's the point of doing it?

onuhistorian0116

You raise a good point, big hub airports tend to be in cities with passport offices and/or many consulates, so there could be some passengers who are making last minute travel, who might require picking up their documents shortly before their international flight.

I guess the most reasonable thing woud be for the agent at the point of origination to warn the passenger that if they are unable to aquire proper documentation before the international leg, they will be denied bordering, the remaining portion of their reservation cancelled, and the passenger, not the airline, will be responsible for further travel back to their home.

Often1

It is the operating carrier's discretion. When you fly a ticket from, let's say, DEN-ICN with a connection at LAX, you are expected to fly to ICN because that is what the contract is for. You may not legally, although there is little to prevent you physically from using your ticket to simply fly to LAX (this is what hidden city ticketing fraud is all about).

It makes all the sense in the world for the initial carrier to deny boarding for a passenger it determines does not possess the documents for travel.

But, there is certainly nothing wrong with a carrier allowing the passenger to fly the domestic segment, as happened with OP.

onuhistorian0116

But, they should probably inform the passenger that their documents are not in order, and the passenger would be unable to board their connecting international flight. Whether or not they allow the passenger to fly the first flight is a matter of policy, as I said above, I guess it is possible that on a last minute trip with a domestic to international connection in a big city, the passenger could receive their travel documents before the connecting flight (I’d never want to role those dice).

But, I think the big thing is, assuming that the AA domestic flight was on the same ticket as the second international flight, AA should have at the very least told the passenger her passport was not acceptable for travel to Laos.

Often1

Perhaps. But, that does not change the simple fact that, as is the case across carriers worldwide, that presenting oneself for timely check in and boarding is 100% the responsibility of the passenger.

Whether AA could have (or even bothered to look up the TIMATIC requirements at domestic check-in) does not change the passenger's responsibility. And that is all that matters for ticketing and boarding purposes.

It is also cautionary for others. Three basic rules:
1. Check TIMATIC.
2. Check TIMATIC, and
3. Check TIMATC.

ashill

Because nearly all passengers who are traveling without proper documentation are doing so accidentally, I’d think. If they catch you at the origin airport (which is, in the vast majority of cases, particularly amongst infrequent travelers who are more likely to err on passport/visa requirement), it’s much less of a hassle in most cases for the passenger to correct the issue, or, if necessary, cancel the trip. So there’s definitely a point to doing the document verification at the origin airport if possible.

Again, in this case, AA could only do a document check, and it would have saved the OP's grandmother a lot of hassle. AA certainly could warn the passenger if her documents don’t seem to be what’s required, but I’m pretty sure that the operating airline will only accept document verification that they’ve done themselves. That is, it’s not ultimately AA's responsibility to verify that the traveler has the proper documents.

ashill

I think hidden city ticketing is almost never an issue for domestic feeder legs (even long ones like CLT-LAX) connecting to trans-Pacific flights. (And using the word “legally" here is confusing: this discussion involves actual legal issues — proper documentation for international travel — but violating fare rules by flying only to the hidden city is not illegal.)

If an airline denies boarding on a domestic segment due to missing documentation for the connecting international segment, I doubt that hidden city issues enter into their thinking at either the policy or the individual agent level. I would think it’s all about the potential fine and expense the airline would incur if they transport a passenger without proper documentation. (Even if they’re not operating the international segment, they might still worry about the documentation just as a matter of policy and customer service.)

Dave Noble

At which point the airline would be setting itself up for issues if someone didn't have correct documentation and start holding the airline liable because it didn't warn them

At the moment the airline has a simple position that liability is solely with the passenger and all it is required to do is ensure that no one boards a flight where correct documentation for that flight is not held

It is not reasonable, I think, for AA agents in many small locations with no international flights to be expected to know passport rules for every country

Often1

+1 - This.

It's been this way for 60+ years worldwide.

Air carriers are not nannies, they are air carriers.

Air carriers check documents for one reason and one reason only. To protect themselves.