travelwithross

Thought I'd post this here, to ask for any advice.

Tickets bought directly from Delta, on 0062 Stock, routing TUL-ATL-AMS-AUH r/t with the AMS-AUH-AMS segments on KL.

My friends parents, US Citizens, travelling to AUH (visa on arrival) were refused check in at TUL by the agent, "as they did not have valid visas". As I've mentioned, they are both US Citizens and therefore Visa on Arrival is offered for 30 days at all arrival ports in UAE. Despite pulling up a TIMATIC website and showing them the State Department website for UAE, they were denied their tickets/boarding passes and told that they would need to rebook flights, at their expense, for future travel.

My friends got on to me, and we spoke to Delta over the phone, and they have thankfully rebooked the couple, at no charge, on flights today - the new tickets are the same routing and ticketed on 0062 Delta Stock. They received a verbal apology on the phone but no offer of anything else (to be fair, the parents did not ask, their priority is to get to AUH).

What recourse do the family have for compensation for IDB? Should they complain to the DOT first?

Thank you for advice,

Bowgie

So what's to prevent the same idiot at TUL from denying boarding again when they show up the next day?
I would ask for involuntary denied boarding compensation (technically not actually so because the cause was airline stupidity, not an oversell).

travelwithross

As far as I know, Delta contacted TUL and updated the reservation with notes to the effect to allow boarding/check in as per Visa on Arrival Requirements. They are on DL1133 this morning, so fingers crossed no more hiccups.

xliioper

DOT IDB compensation is almost certainly not going to happen as DL is just going to point out that this case doesn't meet the requirements (denied due to oversold flight). Some vouchers or miles are about the best you can realistically expect.

AUSINSIGHT

Given you're flying out of Tulsa Oklahoma and going to the middle east, I wouldn't be surprised if there was racism involved in the denial of boarding. Delta really should be held to account for this and that agent severely disciplined. I would absolutely contact support asking for compensation in this instance.

rylan

DL should pay for any expenses incurred due to the delay in travel... any hotel costs, rebooking charges, transportation back home and to the airport again?

Seems pretty clear they also should receive some compensation... as others mentioned this isn't under the IDB requirements, however it was improper actions by the ticket agent to deny checking them in.

dilbertsdaddy

This is unfortunate; getting into UAE on US Passport is easier than getting into Canada.

It's not an IDB, it is a service failure.

Often1

First, this is not IDB. As a matter of law, IDB occurs only when boarding is denied as the result of an oversale. DL expressly denied boarding due to improper documentation, albeit wrongfully.

Second, the passengers ought to file a specific complaint with DOT regarding the denial based on DL's improper denial. This won't result in compensation, but it will result in more senior people at DL having to review the issue and likely the "counseling" of the employee in question.

Third, the passengers should submit a claim when they return for any properly receipted expenses directly associated with DL's error. Leave out the race / national origin - baiting issue unless the DL employee actually said or did something.

When these issue arise, and they arise with some frequency, don't bother getting in a fight with the employee on the spot. DL has a help desk which can assist the agent with documentation issues. Have a copy of the TIMATIC printout handy, show it to the agent and then encourage the agent to call his help desk. You will almost never "win" the face-to-face argument, but when the help desk instructs the agent, you will wind up with your BP (presuming that you are correct).

weero

Is that a US thingie? As in the EU, this most certainly is an IDB. Otherwise, the airlines would have a very effective and cheap way to monetize oversell even better and at lower risk.

javabytes

It is. Passengers in the US are not afforded anywhere near the level of protections as those covered by EC 261/2004.

irishguy28

No, it's not. Oversale may be the only defensible reason for an IDB. Anytime a customer holding a valid ticket (and with the necessary travel documents) is denied boarding against their will, it is involuntary denied boarding.

SJC ORD LDR

IDB is a specific thing in the US. Unfortunately, agent stupidity that prevented someone for boarding isn't IDB here. However, I would think that DL will have to give some form of compensation to them since it was an obvious error on the part of their own employee or contractor.

stevendorechester

Agree that it was IDB compensation wouldn`t be payable here which is why laws need to be changed so that denied boarding compensation be payed regardless of the reason the way it is in Europe. Passenger should send a letter to Delta and they will get something, failing that sue the agent for what ever compensation would have been due had this been an oversale. The passengers had a contract with Delta and Delta, as well as the agent, broke that contract as the passengers were in compliance and Delta had no right to decide that they require visas when they didn`t.

ograff

At DTW I ran into issues trying to board using the transit without visa program for PVG, because my stop in NRT on the return was only a couple of hours. Someone above a red coat was called to come by (not my request, gate agent's own volition), who agreed that I should not be allowed to board. I insisted repeatedly that they call global ticketing support/assistance. Eventually the agent agreed to call global, and global ticketing approved the itinerary for travel within minutes. Obviously this strategy isn't too useful after the fact, but if they run into this again, asking the agent to call global could be a good strategy.

pvn

This post seems kinda bigoted itself. It's certainly based on a huge number of baseless assumptions.