Numb3rs

This is being flagged at online checkin and my wife can't get a boarding pass as it says I need to go to a checking desk to verify travel information. Would it help to call BA silver line and tell them to add a note in the booking?

Ziz

Can you call the Danish embassy in London and ask them to send you an email verifying that your wife will be allowed in?

mgiarc

Can you book a same-day flexible (ie refundable) connection to somewhere non-Schengen as [alternative] evidence you are in transit?

Have you been able to check in for the CPH-LHR, as presumably you'll need to show that at CPH to access the departures area?

Numb3rs

Mrs Numb3rs has now found about about the situation and freaking out... I told her it will be OK.. but will it? Getting mixed reviews here and could it be depending on the checkin agent? Should I ask for the supervisor if they refuse?

I will do a live update of it once at the checkin counter.

gms

I'm not sure what note you want them to add to the booking, but if you are suggesting that this could override the document check, they will almost certainly not do anything like that. I don't think they even could. That would probably result in some serious disciplinary action against an employee!

Ziz

Best way to know if it will or will not be ok is to call Denmark and ask.

Ldnn1

At CPH pax arrive straight into the departures area so no check is required for access there.

gms

While your second suggestion has some merit, I really don't see that your first one will work. BA will base its decision on advice from the relevant authorities. BA will go with whatever is advised. If they say that they will not permit entry then BA will not board a passenger. This is clearly set out in their Conditions of Carriage under their "right to refuse to carry you":

7a16) If you try to enter a country for which your travel documents are not valid.

7a17) If the immigration authority for the country you are travelling to, or for a country in which you have a stopover, has told us (either orally or in writing) that it has decided not to allow you to enter that country, even if you have, or appear to have, valid travel documents.

Trying to claim IDB when it's the passenger's document that is at fault is not morally acceptable in my view.

orbitmic

I don't even think that would be good enough without some sort of proof/writing confirmation that could be used as evidence to BA, but which I doubt they will provide to a random caller (they might however provide that when either UK immigration or BA calls to ask) and conversely, asking for notes on booking/speak to supervisor makes little difference. You could call BA and ask, but be aware that they may well tell you that it will be a "no" and that a note in the booking could be a negative by an agent alerting colleagues about the perceived problem.

Your question about whether it will be ok or not is one none of us can answer. Steps have been highlighted, and it all depends on what will be decided. In my view, your best tactics would be to print the original text of what Tobias-UK sent and if given problem at check in, mention it and encourage them to check with DK immigration but be aware that this does not by any mean guarantee a yes. In my view, plan B would be pledging to just transit, but that too might be rejected as BA may suspect that most normally constituted human beings would try to enter Denmark to get a proper bed to sleep in overnight, or indeed, you could need to if, say, tomorrow's flight happens to be cancelled for whatever reason, which could be enough to get them fined.

Sadly, when building "home made" connections, it is particularly important to ensure that you have the documentation that would be needed to enter the country of "self-designed transit" because it will be flagged as O/D to the airline of your first segment.

Last and probably only option if you really want certainty is call to change your ticket to ensure that your wife has time to get a new passport, but of course, it may seem annoying to do when you hope that things might be ok taking your normal flights (although again, also bear in mind you may well get the exact same problem on the way back and being stuck away is far more expensive than being stuck home!)

Numb3rs

I think the below is my strongest play to get into CPH as Mrs Numb3rs has the same residence permit.

http://storbritannien.um.dk/en/trave...eea-nationals/

bibbju

Sorry if I'm being stupid but how does that get round "A UK Residence Permit and passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond the visit to Denmark" (as stated at the bottom of the page you linked to)????

If Mrs Numb3rs is refused travel by BA, do you have a back-up plan? (i.e. will you go alone, etc). Is there any way you can postpone this trip (paying the change fee of course) so her passport gets sorted out first?

It sounds risky/stressful to just arrive at the airport later today hoping that you are allowed to fly. Not a scenario I would be comfortable with myself.

brunos

Please be aware that airlines are risk-averse especially in these troubled times.
Arrive early, leaving plenty of time at the airport.
Have a plan B ready.

Good luck.

Numb3rs

The UK residence permit and EEA residence document is different. The latter is for families of Non-UK EEA nationals living and working in UK (please correct me if I am wrong). But you can see in the section that holder of a UK residence permit would still require a visa (which then requires the minimum 3 month passport) vs the EEA family permit which does not require a visa.

And backup plan is that I buy a reward ticket with minimum avios (10k plus 500gbp) for an economy ticket for Mrs Numb3rs.

mrvincent

Reminds me of the time I surprised my girlfriend with a trip to NYC but had entered her passport number incorrectly on the ESTA application. Thankfully was travelling EDI-LHR-JFK and it got flagged on the first flight, so gave me a change to do another quickly.

Was very stressful, so feel your pain. I hope that you manage to work this out somehow!

Smithy

I can't see this helping to be honest. The check-in agent (and supervisor) will see this response from the TIMATIC check:

"
Not Ok - Denmark

Passport
Passport required.

Document Validity
Passports and other documents accepted for entry must be valid for a minimum of 3 months beyond the period of intended stay.
"

There is nothing about EEA Family cards at all and nothing in the physical TIM manual that I happen to have on my desk.

You'll be asking the airline supervisor to take a risk on overriding this check without any backup. Producing a web printout will not help them make that decision I'm afraid.