AA/BA/IB ALG-LAX rt Business $1500-1900
Aug 3, 2018, 9:49 am
#166
Join Date: May 2015
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 158
My experience was that the Algerian visa was checked at every point in my journey, as follows:
SFO-JFK AA check-in desk, cursory glance
JFK-LHR BA CCR, forensic examination
LGW-ALG Didn't happen as I only had a single entry granted and had already used that up ...
SFO-JFK AA check-in desk, cursory glance
JFK-LHR BA CCR, forensic examination
LGW-ALG Didn't happen as I only had a single entry granted and had already used that up ...
Aug 3, 2018, 11:44 am
#167
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Effectively grounded
Programs: BA GGL for a little while longer
Posts: 844
Aug 3, 2018, 11:50 am
#168
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
Now my question is this: I am a European citizen (needing a visa for ALG). Will I still need that visa when getting off in LHR with no intention at all to fly to ALG? The return leg from the USA (2 flights) are with BA, with a long (23h) layover so I have a good reason to check my bags to LHR and not to ALG.
At what point do they check the visa? Does anyone know? Will BA already check it in the USA and possibly deny me boarding to LHR?
It's not that I cannot get a visa, but maybe all the trouble isn't necessary if I don't actually go there.
Also, if I book another separate one way with BA from LHR (before the ALG flight), will they notice?
At what point do they check the visa? Does anyone know? Will BA already check it in the USA and possibly deny me boarding to LHR?
It's not that I cannot get a visa, but maybe all the trouble isn't necessary if I don't actually go there.
Also, if I book another separate one way with BA from LHR (before the ALG flight), will they notice?
BA is unlikely to notice your onward flight from LHR.
And what if I tell them "my travel plans changed" and I show them another ticket from LHR? They'll adjust the fare right then and there?
Aug 4, 2018, 3:28 am
#169
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: BRU, DUS, AMS
Programs: AA, BA, SN, KL, IHG, HH, BW, CC
Posts: 16
Thanks for your insights. You are right, I have a long 23h connection, not a layover. However, I still don't want my bags checked to ALG ;-).
So your guess is BA will check for the visa in the USA? Showing them a ticket from London to the EU won't help?
Now, I cannot get a visa without a date that I will be departing the country (which I am not planning on entering).
That leaves me 2 options: find a very cheap flight back to the EU within a certain time frame + get a visa for that period or take the risk that they deny me boarding if I cannot convince them that I am not going to ALG (but what would be a good excuse for that?). Am I perhaps missing an option?
So your guess is BA will check for the visa in the USA? Showing them a ticket from London to the EU won't help?
Now, I cannot get a visa without a date that I will be departing the country (which I am not planning on entering).
That leaves me 2 options: find a very cheap flight back to the EU within a certain time frame + get a visa for that period or take the risk that they deny me boarding if I cannot convince them that I am not going to ALG (but what would be a good excuse for that?). Am I perhaps missing an option?
Last edited by KipKe; Aug 4, 2018 at 3:30 am Reason: forgot sthing
Aug 4, 2018, 10:37 am
#170
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Valencia, Spain
Posts: 806
Could you not buy a cheap throwaway ticket ALG-EU, departing within 24 hours of arrival in ALG, and therefore tell BA you are doing Transit Without Visa?
Furthermore, I believe the BA flight to ALG departs from LGW so if you are arriving from USA at LHR, you have to collect your bags at LHR and re-check them (or not!) at LGW. Which would solve the checked bags problem.
Furthermore, I believe the BA flight to ALG departs from LGW so if you are arriving from USA at LHR, you have to collect your bags at LHR and re-check them (or not!) at LGW. Which would solve the checked bags problem.
Aug 4, 2018, 12:35 pm
#171
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Bristol
Programs: BA GGL, UA Plat, DL Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,380
Could you not buy a cheap throwaway ticket ALG-EU, departing within 24 hours of arrival in ALG, and therefore tell BA you are doing Transit Without Visa?
Furthermore, I believe the BA flight to ALG departs from LGW so if you are arriving from USA at LHR, you have to collect your bags at LHR and re-check them (or not!) at LGW. Which would solve the checked bags problem.
Furthermore, I believe the BA flight to ALG departs from LGW so if you are arriving from USA at LHR, you have to collect your bags at LHR and re-check them (or not!) at LGW. Which would solve the checked bags problem.
Aug 4, 2018, 3:49 pm
#172
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
Code:
TWOV (Transit Without Visa): - Passengers with a confirmed onward ticket for a flight to a third country within 24 hours. They must stay in the international transit area of the airport and have documents required for the next destination. - TWOV does not apply to passengers with a travel document issued by the Palestinian Territory.
Aug 4, 2018, 5:01 pm
#173
Join Date: Jan 2000
Programs: Free agent
Posts: 1,296
I’ve got a return booked next year for DFW-MAD-FCO-ALG. I do not know why I did not consider the fact that I’d need a visa even if I had no intention of going to ALG. I’m fine unless they check it in DFW. If I do arrive at DFW without one am I assured to be denied boarding on DFW-MAD?
Aug 4, 2018, 5:13 pm
#174
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
I’ve got a return booked next year for DFW-MAD-FCO-ALG. I do not know why I did not consider the fact that I’d need a visa even if I had no intention of going to ALG. I’m fine unless they check it in DFW. If I do arrive at DFW without one am I assured to be denied boarding on DFW-MAD?
Aug 4, 2018, 5:37 pm
#175
Join Date: Jan 2000
Programs: Free agent
Posts: 1,296
Thank you. I don’t like the idea of having to hope it works, would they have grounds for denying me boarding if Algeria had clear TWOV rules? Same thing happened on my outbound when flying from CAI-ALG then ALG-DFW and my onward ticket was enough.
Aug 4, 2018, 7:44 pm
#176
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
As far as the airline is concerned, your final destination is ALG, which requires a visa. They'd be within their rights to deny you boarding at DFW because they have no way of guaranteeing you'll leave ALG. Now, you might get someone to bend the rules for you or you may not. If you want a guarantee, get a visa.
Aug 5, 2018, 3:11 am
#177
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: London
Posts: 17,007
They'd be within their rights to deny you boarding at DFW because they have no way of guaranteeing you'll leave ALG.
What you are right to argue is that some airlines may be reluctant to believe you have onward travel tickets (JL actually likes to look up the other ticket and annotate your current PNR with it), or they may think (wrongly) it only applies to true connecting flights. In my experience BA and AA are totally fine with it, although it may require a bit of time. IB on the other hand may be a bit more annoying, I’ve no experience with them.
So it probably is slightly risky, but it really should not be, and if you have problems, please escalate.
On the issue of going back to the same country, yes, that is not really covered by the TWOV rules, and looks suspicious and confusing.
Last edited by Calchas; Aug 5, 2018 at 3:16 am
Aug 5, 2018, 6:15 am
#178
Join Date: Jan 2000
Programs: Free agent
Posts: 1,296
I am not sure I can agree with you there. I suspect most immigration authorities have no idea what the difference between a “single ticket” connection and two separate tickets is. The wording also usually says “TWOV: Passengers with a confirmed onward ticket to a third country” (standard TIMATIC boiler plate); not “passengers travelling on a through ticket”.
From the airlines’ perspective, the IATA rules on refused entry also make provisions for a person holding a separate onward ticket for that ticket to be used immediately for the person’s departure (all restrictions preventing immediate use of that ticket, potentially on a different carrier, should be ignored), and the inbound carrier should take control of that ticket and revalidate it. Although that provision probably doesn’t work so well in the age of electronic ticketing.
What you are right to argue is that some airlines may be reluctant to believe you have onward travel tickets (JL actually likes to look up the other ticket and annotate your current PNR with it), or they may think (wrongly) it only applies to true connecting flights. In my experience BA and AA are totally fine with it, although it may require a bit of time. IB on the other hand may be a bit more annoying, I’ve no experience with them.
So it probably is slightly risky, but it really should not be, and if you have problems, please escalate.
On the issue of going back to the same country, yes, that is not really covered by the TWOV rules, and looks suspicious and confusing.
From the airlines’ perspective, the IATA rules on refused entry also make provisions for a person holding a separate onward ticket for that ticket to be used immediately for the person’s departure (all restrictions preventing immediate use of that ticket, potentially on a different carrier, should be ignored), and the inbound carrier should take control of that ticket and revalidate it. Although that provision probably doesn’t work so well in the age of electronic ticketing.
What you are right to argue is that some airlines may be reluctant to believe you have onward travel tickets (JL actually likes to look up the other ticket and annotate your current PNR with it), or they may think (wrongly) it only applies to true connecting flights. In my experience BA and AA are totally fine with it, although it may require a bit of time. IB on the other hand may be a bit more annoying, I’ve no experience with them.
So it probably is slightly risky, but it really should not be, and if you have problems, please escalate.
On the issue of going back to the same country, yes, that is not really covered by the TWOV rules, and looks suspicious and confusing.
Aug 5, 2018, 8:46 am
#179
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: BRU, DUS, AMS
Programs: AA, BA, SN, KL, IHG, HH, BW, CC
Posts: 16
Could you not buy a cheap throwaway ticket ALG-EU, departing within 24 hours of arrival in ALG, and therefore tell BA you are doing Transit Without Visa?
Furthermore, I believe the BA flight to ALG departs from LGW so if you are arriving from USA at LHR, you have to collect your bags at LHR and re-check them (or not!) at LGW. Which would solve the checked bags problem.
Furthermore, I believe the BA flight to ALG departs from LGW so if you are arriving from USA at LHR, you have to collect your bags at LHR and re-check them (or not!) at LGW. Which would solve the checked bags problem.
What would happen if I showed them a separate booking for LGW to another European destination on a date preceding the LGW-ALG flight (i.e. the same day I arrive at LGW)? The LGW-ALG flight is the next day.
Also, I see the next OP here has the same problem as me and was advised to get a one way to RAK. Is that an option for me (no visa needed) or would i have to show a return ticket from RAK to the EU?
Aug 7, 2018, 8:32 am
#180
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Valencia, Spain
Posts: 806
If you arrive from USA to LGW, with an onward flight from LGW but with a 23 hr overnight connection, I believe (but cannot confirm) that BA will short check your bags to LGW. You should call and ask them.
It would be a good idea also to print out the relevant TWOV rule, in case BA check-in agents in USA are not familiar with it.