Passport Question re: United Award Seat: Please Help
May 29, 2013, 12:51 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Newport Beach, CA
Posts: 38
Passport Question re: United Award Seat: Please Help
Good Day,
I recently redeemed miles for an award seat for my Mom to fly from JNB, South Africa to LAX. Since it was a last minute redemption, I was only able to get
JNB -> IST on Turkish
IST -> FRA on Turkish
FRA -> YUL on Air Canada
YUL -> LAX on Air Canada
She holds a South African passport and a US Green Card. I know she will not have any issue transferring in Istanbul (she can stay air-side) and in Montreal (holds a Green Card).
My concern is that she will need a visa for the transfer in Frankfurt.
Since all airlines are Star Alliance, will Turkish airlines book her luggage all the way through to the USA and issue to her the Air Canada ticket in JNB?
Or, since the tickets are booked on UA using miles, will Turkish Airlines require her to pass through immigration in Frankfurt, and check-in for her AC flight in Germany?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
I recently redeemed miles for an award seat for my Mom to fly from JNB, South Africa to LAX. Since it was a last minute redemption, I was only able to get
JNB -> IST on Turkish
IST -> FRA on Turkish
FRA -> YUL on Air Canada
YUL -> LAX on Air Canada
She holds a South African passport and a US Green Card. I know she will not have any issue transferring in Istanbul (she can stay air-side) and in Montreal (holds a Green Card).
My concern is that she will need a visa for the transfer in Frankfurt.
Since all airlines are Star Alliance, will Turkish airlines book her luggage all the way through to the USA and issue to her the Air Canada ticket in JNB?
Or, since the tickets are booked on UA using miles, will Turkish Airlines require her to pass through immigration in Frankfurt, and check-in for her AC flight in Germany?
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
May 29, 2013, 12:56 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: UA GS>1K>Nothing; DL DM 2MM; AS 75K>Nothing>MVP
Posts: 9,344
I've done many transfers through FRA on *A award tickets switching between different *A carriers. I have never had to go immigration. I never check bags but I recall my wife has done so and was always able to check them all the way through.
Someone may be able to give you definitive answer for Turkish Airlines. (I've never flow them.)
Someone may be able to give you definitive answer for Turkish Airlines. (I've never flow them.)
May 29, 2013, 4:34 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Newport Beach, CA
Posts: 38
lol. This is the return flight back to me in CA.
But I think it looks worse than it really is ... C from JNB to FRA, then Y to LAX.
Total trip time is actually shorter than the outbound LAX - CDG - JNB on AF.
But I think it looks worse than it really is ... C from JNB to FRA, then Y to LAX.
Total trip time is actually shorter than the outbound LAX - CDG - JNB on AF.
May 29, 2013, 5:00 pm
#5
Formerly known as vgandhi
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: Delta 1 MM and Platinum, United Premier Platinum, Starwood Gold, Club Carlson Gold, Choice Gold
Posts: 623
Passport Question re: United Award Seat: Please Help
You do not have to go out if the immigration to change planes they have transfer desk and transfer lounge also my mom travelled from USA to India and she was able to check bags all the way but I will still suggest you call Lufthansa to find out in detail
May 29, 2013, 6:03 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Dulles, VA
Programs: UA Life Gold, Marriott Life Titanium
Posts: 2,757
I guess that JNB-IAD-LAX wasn't available at all, even with standard award in coach?
Jun 3, 2013, 3:29 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Newport Beach, CA
Posts: 38
To be perfectly honest ... both my Mom and Dad are flying together (and they are very nervous flyers). But the trip was over the 4th of July holidays and I was given a very limited set of dates to work with.
I do love them both very much though
I do love them both very much though
Jun 5, 2013, 7:06 pm
#8
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: CT/NY
Programs: UA 1K/1MM, AA EXP, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Plat Amb
Posts: 6,049
From TIMATIC:
[KVS Availability Tool 7.1.8/Diamond - TIMATIC: Visa/Entry Requirements]
As long as you are not enterring Germany or another Schengen state, the mother will not require a visa.
[KVS Availability Tool 7.1.8/Diamond - TIMATIC: Visa/Entry Requirements]
Code:
National South Africa (ZA) /Residence USA (US) Embarkation South Africa (ZA) /Transit Germany (DE) Destination USA (US) ALSO CHECK DESTINATION INFORMATION BELOW [Visa Information - Transit] Germany (DE) [Information For Normal Passports] Visa required, except for holders of a valid "D" visa issued by another Schengen Member State [[TIRGL/SCHN]] . TWOV (Transit Without Visa): Visa required, except for Holders of onward tickets in transit [[TIRULES/R32]] ONLY through Cologne/Bonn (CGN), Frankfurt (FRA), Munich (MUC), Hamburg (HAM), Dusseldorf (DUS) and Berlin Tegel (TXL). *Note: TWOV is not possible when arriving from a non-Schengen Member State AND departing to a Schengen Member State[[TIRULES/R34]] See conditions per location: [[TIDFT/DE/VI/NO]]
Jun 5, 2013, 8:23 pm
#9
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: FRA
Programs: AC SE 1MM, UA PP, Hilton LT Diamond, Marriott Gold Elite, Avis PC
Posts: 2,948
Passport Question re: United Award Seat: Please Help
If it's all on one ticket (and it does look like it is) the bags will be checked through and do not need to be picked up in FRA. TK and AC have an interlining agreement so no worries there. They will remain within the non-Schengen area of Terminal 1 so they will not need to clear immigration in Germany. They just need to find AC's transfer desk in case TK was not able to print one in South Africa, they could also obtain a boarding pass directly at the gate (usually B42-B46).