Again, you must be joking. :rolleyes:

Delta really screwed up with this one, but that agent's reasoning Delta could never sell a one-way international ticket to any country with a maximum stay requirement. Definitely complain, I think you are entitled to IDB compensation for this one.

Airlines are definetly responsible for arriving passengers having the required documents. I don't know where B747-437B got his info, but it is totally wrong. Delta would be responsible for returning the passenger even if his documents were correct and the immigration officer refused entry just because he didn't like the color of the passenger's eyes.
Dave

You run into rogue/ignorant agents every now and then. This is one of those cases. you have to be firm and not give up.

Your argument doesn't hold.
How does Delta know that some one with one week return ticket will not stay beyond thirty days?

I'm sure airlines don't have a right to see someone's documents. However, if the passenger doesn't present the documents, the airline does have the right to deny boarding. I'm guessing that's where B747 was going with that.

A few comments based on my actual experiences:

1. If you had proof that you would be leaving the country prior to your 30 days being up you can be boarded. But you MUST provide an actual eticket receipt showing confirmed flights. An itinerary, email, etc will not be sufficient. We can look up etickets issued by other airlines so if you have an actual ticket it can be verified.

2. While it is true that an airline cannot compel you to show your documentation failure to do so can also result in your being denied boarding. It is the airline's responsibility to ensure that you hold the correct documents. If you refuse to show them you run the risk of correctly being denied travel.

3. Airlines DO get fined if they transport passengers who do not meet the entry requirements. In addition, they normally have to pay for the return trip as well. I know this from dealing with actual fines levied by South Africa because a passenger arrived without the necessary blank pages, amongst other similar situations.


In your case, with a valid trip leaving Thailand within 30 days you should be able to travel. If you want to PM your PNR I can see what the situation is. If you choose to do so please also send em the eticket information for your other ticket.

It would be nice to hear from the OP regarding the situation. Delta is really 100% wrong in the matter and I would demand IDB comp. in addition to rescheduling of flights ASAP on any carrier.

Good luck OP!

This is entirely correct. It would appear that the agent may have been able to more helpful if all he was shown was an itinerary that he could ask for the e-ticket. More than likely it may have been a bus run which would not really have any ticketing.

The above is one of the reasons why some carriers do not allow international online check in - so that one has to go to an agent and have everything approved.

On a side note, without regard to the OP's specific situation, Delta's responsibilities, or Thai immigration law........ In the real world of Thai immigration, even if you (citizen of wealthy western nation) did arrive at BKK with no visa and no proof of onward travel there is a 99.9% chance they would not even ask for it. In close to 100 arrivals at BKK and a variety of Thai land borders I have been asked for proof of onward travel exactly once and that was during a short lived crack down on foreigners making visa runs a couple of years ago and even then, only because I have vast numbers of Thai immigration stamps in my passport. I haven't been asked since and that particular crack down ended after a couple of months. However even if you were the unlucky 0.1% and they DID ask and you did not have proof, there is a 99% chance you could just talk your way past it if you don't look like a bum and had a plausible explanation as to how you were not trying to overstay in Thailand illegally. And if even that failed, the ABSOLUTE worse case scenario would be they would turn you around and send you to the Thai Airways ticket counter to purchase a fully refundable, full fare ticket to 'someplace' which you could then turn around get your money back for once you got past immigration. No way are the Thais deporting any citizen of a rich western nation solely for lack of an onward ticket unless they are to destitute to front the money for a few days on an onward ticket or there was something else more serious wrong with them.

Is this a one hit wonder for the OP?

As the Op stated, "That's what my separate flight itinerary showed. " then you have no reason to state anything about a bus run

This one is painful to read. Now, what have I missed. Let's assume that the OP had bought a RT ticket on DL and the return was within 30 days. What greater guarantee is there that the OP would be on that flight and leave the country witin 30 days? There is no more guarantee that the OP would be on that return flight than there is he would be on the other airline's flight that he has booked out of Thailand within the 30 day period.. The point is, the OP, if I read this correctly, has a ticketed flight on another airline out of the country within 30 days. That should be sufficient. I understand all of the other concerns, but a ticketed flight out on another airline should be sufficient. DL should at least have someone to call the Thai Consulate to verify this.

Maybe he is in the air now on his way to Thailand. I suppose it's possible he resolved the problem.

Why, because they haven't responded in the last 3 hours? OMG, 3 hours!! :rolleyes:

This Delta agent was completely in the wrong and should be re-trained on the specifics of international travel requirements. And the OP should receive full compensation for being denied boarding. The OP would also have a case to be made for any lost reservations they may have had at the destination.