erik123

If I were Israeli I would regularly book cheap C class KU JFK-LHR and "upgrade" to BA.

Dinka

You will find it hard to believe, me being Israeli and all, all I want is live my life in peace and quite, focus on being productive, spend time with family and friends, and not to go over my head in tricking somebody/something giving me something worth a few thousand dollars.

I have to also tell you, that the feeling of being a second sort world citizen, was not pleasant at all and kept me away from enjoying my vacation for about 24 hours.

All well what ends well, but I will never, ever, ever book a flight from a Muslim country, prior to checking what is the up to date relationship status with Israel (as it changes once in a few years, once the government in these countries changes - everything is under question). If the price difference with a first world country is lower than $200, I wouldn't even bother checking. Not because I'm well financially, but because it's humiliating.

I appreciate the humor, but this time - I was not laughing.

beachmouse

It also doesn't say if the flight is on Kuwait metal or Kuwait dba Air India under Air India colors. Given the spider's web of commuter airlines you get in the USA and how Aer Lingus runs some Virgin Atlantic short haul flights in the UK, and any number of other such arrangements out there, it's not a given whether it's a codeshare flight or a subcontracting deal from the screen.

GUWonder

That is what I would pursue too. I would consider doing the same thing on other routes and on other airlines with such policies -- with regard to potential trips starting or ending in the US and for trips departing out of EC261/2004 countries. It would be my revenge for a repugnant policy.

I wouldn't use Harper's Canada after the RGN debacle.

I can definitely empathize with the awful feeling of being treated as a second class person. I wish it happened to no free person. This is the very reason why I have found the US aviation-related blacklists -- some of which have been nationality-biased -- to be morally repugnant: they treat free persons as a second class person.

You should make sure you have a new ticket number (compared to before) and that the ticket was reissued properly. Just to make sure that the passenger (yourself or spouse?) doesn't face additional hassles at time of attempted check-in.

muishkin

Well said! I was not aware of this issue before but now I do plan to write letters to both Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand about this issue. I think this need to be resolved legislatively rather going through the judicial system. It makes no sense that carriers here are allowed to refuse to carry a person between two ports, in which both recognize the person's passport.

GUWonder

^^ for lobbying against the US aviation blacklists (e.g., no-fly list) too. Lots of those blacklisted persons also have valid passports recognized by the embarkation and disembarkation ports' immigration authorities but the carriers refuse to transport them -- and some of them are even US citizens.

Boraxo

You're going way OT, aviation law is a complex area subject to multilateral international treaties, federal law and occasionaly state law to the extent not preempted. Online "dating" apps are subject to a whole host of federal and state laws, and in fact victims who were raped have sued these companies for not pre-screening customers. Many now do. As far as I know most do not discriminate except for eharmony.com, which I think has also been sued by atheists or non-Christians.

Exactly. Most companies that are accused of unlawful discriminate will come up with some pre-textual reason to support their argument. This does not get them off the hook. Courts generally look to the effect of the policy to see if it results in discrimination, as well as evidence of intent.

Incorrect. As noted above, the traveler did have a valid passport under both US and UK law. End of story. Kuwait law is irrelevant to this situation.

Agree - this is the typical form letter response from priceline's ICC. THIS IS WHY NOBODY SHOULD USE PRICELINE FOR AIRLINE BOOKINGS. The savings is not worth it if you have a problem.

+1 The blacklists disgust me, and even worse that there is no legal process to get removed from the list. Thankfully the courts are finally beginning to recognize and address this problem, though the USG will not go down without a fight.

erik123

While tongue in cheek it is not meant with disrespect. KU lost money on you which is good - and could lose even more if you pursue this case.

It would be a good media event to book a 100 Israelis on the same JFK-LHR flight and see how they handle that one.

:D!

This may be a stupid question but why, when the OP was rebooked on AA for JFK-LHR, did the airline agents not rebook the return flight as well?

Would the aircraft be considered as Kuwaiti territory when over international waters? If Israeli citizens are not permitted to enter Kuwait, does this extend to the aircraft? If an Israeli citizen is born on board a Kuwait flight over the Atlantic, would Kuwait be obliged to issue a birth certificate?

GUWonder

Kuwait's laws and regulations applicable to Kuwaiti planes most probably apply to Kuwaiti flights over international waters too. Whether those Kuwaiti laws/regs broadly oblige Kuwaitis to behave as agents of the government and exclude doing any and all business with Israelis, not sure; however, Kuwait's investments arms do involve doing business with some people the Kuwaiti government knows to be Israelis.

Dual-Israeli citizens have flown to/from Kuwait or otherwise on Kuwaiti flights and are not generally denied admission if using a non-Israeli travel doc for admission to Kuwait.

Birth certificates can be issued even when the child is not a citizen of the country in which they are born. Kuwait routinely issues birth certificates even for people born within its jurisdiction who do not qualify for Kuwaiti citizenship and whose citizenship, if any, is unclear at the time of birth and sometimes even long after the birth. It's possible to be born in Kuwait as a stateless person.

Dinka

They booked one way because then start quote "its going to be London's issue"

danielonn

kShalom Dinka,

I think the airlines should be responsible for letting you know when you purchase your ticket where it would verify your nationality. If your passport does not conform with the ticket then it should not let the purchase go through.

If an airline is codeshared with Kuwait Airlines but is flown via another carrier like Air India and you did not stop in a restricted country then why were you denied boarding . You could claim you were discriminated against due to your nationality because you were on a legitimate flight from what is sounds like.

BTW Do you have an American Passport? If so you could have just used this for your flight.

I think you should get a full refund because you only knew it was a Kuwait Airlines Flight and or they should have gotten you to your final destination for no extra cost. Your intention was to go on an itinerary in which your Israeli Passport would be accepted.

I wish you all the best.

Daniel

danielonn

If I one a bid with Priceline and found out that I would be denied boarding on the basis of my nationality you can be sure I would be disputing this with my Credit Card right away.

I would get all the documentation and send it to Priceline using the TIMATIC System. All I would do is go to a local travel agency with access to the TIMATIC system which tells you what are the entry/exit/in transit requirements of the country.

Some countries will make you get a Visa even if you are there for a couple of hours. Some countries will waive the Visa if you are there for less than 24 hours and do not exit the In Transit Zone.

In my opinion the airline should have just worked with you and sent you to a sterile In Transit Lounge and processed you on to India. I mean you were not even entering the country they had in question.

A Direct Flight means the airline will stop on the way. I Would want to know where the flight stops and not use Priceline on such an itinerary. In fact I would book a flight via LHR,CDG or another European Country or go via Singapore. Either way Priceline had to disclose the information as your Travel Agent and allow you to rebook and perhaps even cover the price difference for the new itinerary/

danielonn

Notice how it says"Operated By Kuwait Airlines" This means Air India is marketing the flight and selling seats under its Ticket Fare Basis but Kuwait Airlines is the operating carrier thus the OP is on the terms of Kuwait Airlines.

GUWonder

The airlines probably have language that indicates the operating carrier's rules apply too.

The passenger was transported for no additional cost on a carrier better for earning useful airline miles.

This was not a ticket bid for on Priceline. It was a regular ticket booked via Priceline where the customer knows the marketing and operating carrier in advance of paying.