Can't leave MAD during layovers???
May 5, 2019, 6:59 am
#16
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 410
I tried to enter Spain with the arrival passengers, and was stopped at formal passport control.
After arrival there are two options: T4S security screening and exit, and I went with exit. This is not a logistics question or architecture question (lol) - it's Spanish border force did not let me enter the country because I was on a non-Schengen layover.
After arrival there are two options: T4S security screening and exit, and I went with exit. This is not a logistics question or architecture question (lol) - it's Spanish border force did not let me enter the country because I was on a non-Schengen layover.
But I am amazed to the fact they bothered to check a US citizen, normally low profile countries get a fast stamp and that's it.
May 5, 2019, 2:57 pm
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: EWR
Posts: 180
I've done this also countless times, everywhere from NRT and LHR to many Schengen areas: BRU, FRA, ZRH, HEL. Was extremely, extremely surprised that Spain would be the one with a problem.
May 6, 2019, 8:32 am
#18
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Roswell, GA
Programs: AA EXP 2.8m,Lifetime PLT, Hilton Diamond, IHG PlLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 3,191
sorry to hear, it makes no sense, especially since I believe Spain does not require a visa...
May 6, 2019, 8:55 am
#19
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: AA GLD, AC
Posts: 4,220
This really surprises me because when I've landed in Spain recently they barely even looked at my passport. They glanced at the front cover with the US eagle, flipped it open, stamped it, and waved me through - perhaps a 5-second process, with zero questions asked.
May 6, 2019, 11:52 am
#20
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP...couple hotels and cars too
Posts: 4,548
I wouldnt lie. How long are you staying? "Currently I have a flight tonight, but trying to (considering a?) change my booking and stay a day or two" might be a safer claim.
May 7, 2019, 12:36 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: EWR
Posts: 180
I was turned down at LHR. Had a 6 hr layover headed to Munich, said I was just going to walk around outside, get some fresh air. Agent refused, directed me to transit passemgers.
I wouldnt lie. How long are you staying? "Currently I have a flight tonight, but trying to (considering a?) change my booking and stay a day or two" might be a safer claim.
I wouldnt lie. How long are you staying? "Currently I have a flight tonight, but trying to (considering a?) change my booking and stay a day or two" might be a safer claim.
Much better than U.S. Consul in Spain's idea of applying for a visa. Imagine how confused whoever received a Schengen tourist visa application from an American would be.
May 7, 2019, 3:49 pm
#23
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,413
Right. No visa for USA passports.....and some countries refuse to issue visas if they're not required while others encourage visa applications for special cases that might be troublesome. At least for the USA, a visa doesn't guarantee entry and it's still the decision of the immigration official at the port of entry.
However, I wonder whether Spain requires a landing card so that the border official could immediately see details such as duration of stay "3 hours" and flight number with date of planned exit from the EU.
However, I wonder whether Spain requires a landing card so that the border official could immediately see details such as duration of stay "3 hours" and flight number with date of planned exit from the EU.
May 8, 2019, 10:11 am
#25
Join Date: Dec 2015
Posts: 410
Páginas - Recomendación de viaje
Aug 2, 2019, 3:44 am
#26
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: SIN
Programs: A3 Gold, SQ KF Elite Gold, QR Gold, IB Plata, Hilton Honors Gold
Posts: 175
I had a LHR-MAD-BIO itinerary on BA/IB. The BA 77W docked at T4S and I chose to exit the terminal (on a passport that didn’t require a visa) to get some fresh air. I had no problems at all getting stamped via Arrivals and presume I would’ve also encountered an immigration officer to enter a Schengen state/Spain on my transit route from a gate in T4S to the (presumably Domestic) M gates in T4S if I had simply followed the Transit signs. So I can’t figure it out what went wrong with your transit. What was confusing was re-entering T4S and first, being denied Fast Track as an Iberia Oro/OW Sapphire member (Though I don’t fly IB much at all) and secondly, finding absolutely no lounge or F&B outlets at the M Gates in T4S. Did I miss something there?
Aug 2, 2019, 6:57 am
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci, BA, AF
Posts: 10,129
The transit route is the same as the arrivals route, for immigration from T4S.
M gates are rarely used (they're for aircraft arriving from / departing onwards to a non-Schengen destination, when operating Schengen flights). There is very little there, and the IB lounge closed a couple of years ago.
M gates are rarely used (they're for aircraft arriving from / departing onwards to a non-Schengen destination, when operating Schengen flights). There is very little there, and the IB lounge closed a couple of years ago.
Aug 2, 2019, 8:41 am
#28
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 1,352
Sometimes they also use the M gates for flights arriving from Schengen but with a lot of passengers connecting to non-Schengen flights (common in some late-evening flights full of passengers with short connections to the late flights to Latin America).