GUWonder

Depends on if it’s see passport to check in and then get a boarding pass and/or boarding pass stamped for international docs ok, or if it’s at the boarding gate to simply check that the passenger boarding the flight has a passport with the same names as on the boarding pass. In the case of the latter, that’s not a show stopper. In the case of the former, it can mean a show-stopper, asking for trouble or both a show stopper and asking for trouble since it’s more detailed personal information.

Duke787

What information is provided to DHS when they send the manifests over to the US pre-departure at T-96?

My assumption is that passenger records and passport information is provided to the US so that information will be on file for validation at EU2 -- I think due to the US requirements for the manifest every airline is going to require a passport on file at EU2 and validate it. If Fred2 shows up at EU2 with a request for passport verification due to the EU1 - US flight, the passport that Fred2 provides is going to be a mismatch on what the airline has on file and what was sent to DHS.

If Fred2 does a song and dance about getting a new passport, they scan Fred2's passport and update the PNR for EU2-EU1-US with Fred2's passport details. Now when Fred1 lands in the US and looks to clear CBP, his passport will be flagged because Fred1's passport is no longer associated with the PNR, it's Fred2's passport at which point Fred1 is in a whole lot of trouble with CBP.

On the flip side if Fred2 does the song and dance and they don't buy it, Fred2 is in a whole lot of trouble and either decides to just ditch it with some excuse and EU2-EU1 gets canceled or the airline cancels the flight

roberino

Fred1 has seen all our comments and…

1. He’s now pretty nervous about his chances of success.
2. He did not like being compared to a Labrador.

flying_geek

In my experience it more often than not gets scanned to make sure the numbers are in there and correct. Now - in my experience that varies a little by the airlines involved. For example If you were to fly MIA-FRA-EU2 all on LH metal, and then fly EU2-FRA-MIA all LH metal - you have a good chance of not getting asked for the passport at EU2. If your return was ZRH-FRA-MIA - with ZRH-FRA operated by LX - you are much more likely to get your passport scanned. if the TATL airline is a US carrier the partner airline operating EU2-EU1 will almost definitely scan the passport.

GUWonder

Here is sort of what I know to have worked with interruptions to and confusion over the investigative trail:

Fred1 flies US-EU1. Fred2 — doesn’t even have to be a Fred depending on the EU1-EU2 specifics — flies EU1-EU2. Fred1 buys a separate one-way ticket to get to EU2 so that Fred1 flies EU2-EU1-US.

CDTraveler

This scheme is sounding more and more like a Tik-Tok challenge, or for the mature generation, something for Candid Camera.

Anybody giving odds on it blowing up somewhere along the line?

DELee

Moral of this thread: Don't be a Fred.

David

GUWonder

And get the popcorn, it’s a B movie that we just have to watch. If it ever gets released, even straight to video (on Twitter) — especially now that it’s mentioned Fred1 is pretty nervous about the chances of it working out after having read this thread.

lhrsfo

I cannot see how this could possibly work on the return journey. At check in for the return flight, which happens in EU2, the airline is responsible for collecting all the information required for the EU1 to USA flight, and this information is transmitted to the USA. The information is transmitted electronically and includes passport details. It's possible that Fred 2 (whose information is what the USA receives) could get away with this - he's a no-show and so the US just shrugs its collective shoulders and isn't concerned when Fred2 next visits. However, how will Fred1 explain why he has no APIS information on file when he arrives. He'll almost certainly get sent to secondary, even if he is a US citizen, and then the story will start to unravel. Travelling under a fake identity is taken very seriously across the Atlantic.

flying_geek

As I mentioned earlier - if all segments are with the same carrier, the passport details entered when leaving the US are often surviving and are not entered/checked again until the EU1-US gate verification. If you fly with different carriers - like IB metal connecting to AA metal you are more likely to have to manually check in.

I wouldn't do it - but it can work.

If Fred 1 has enough time and it's a cheap route to fly EU1-EU2 if online check in fails the return - it's a more mangable risk. Fred2 of course would then have to walk or buy a ticket

GUWonder

It can possibly work even for the return journey. My prior post introduced to this thread how it can sometimes be done, as not all check-ins and boardings at EU2 for EU2-EU1-US involve the airlines’ physical inspection of the passport at EU2 so as to swipe it into the PNR at EU2 prior to passenger getting and using the boarding pass for EU2-EU1 to fly EU2-EU1.

Traveling under a fake identity? Each is presumably carrying only their own real government-issued ID, as no mention has been made of them procuring fake ID documents.

ATOBTTR

The USAF C-5 earned the nickname "FRED" (with "FRED" standing for "*Bad Word*-Ridiculous Economic Disaster). If "Fred" does this, it may well too end up being a "FRED" for "Fred" between having to pay for refaring flights and possible civil penalties.

blue2002

Fred,

lsquare

When I flew from AMS-CDG in June 2022, a security guy/rep was checking my passport and bp while I was lining up to board the plane.

GUWonder

Checking for cabin baggage policy compliance? Checking that the name on boarding pass seemed to match the name on the passport? Making sure you’re not trying to board out of turn? Or some combination of that?

With regard to my use of AMS-CDG this quarter, there was no electronic scanning in of the passports at AMS for my AMS-CDG flights. Same as in 2022.

ARN/CPH-CDG on different airlines in the past several weeks had no passport/ID checks for me. Didn’t matter whether coming in from the US on the bookings or on entirely intra-Schengen itineraries, none of the airlines cared to check me for a passport for such EU1-EU2 flights. In the opposite direction with AF, they were religious about wanting to see ID at boarding, but there was no electronic scanning in of passports if already checked in and holding a valid boarding pass for intra-Schengen AF flights.