UAkls

I agree that UA is 100% to blame here. This is their job. But life is not a blame game.

I always carry (and recommend others do) anything they might need as they travel. I print my hotel reservations, even though it is the hotel's job to have it in their system. I print my plane reservations and receipts, even though it should be in the airline's system. If traveling somewhere unusual, I carry visa information (e.g., so I can show that a visa can be acquired on arrival). I will, however, not print out something showing I do not need a visa to enter the UK. I hope that everyone along the way knows what they are supposed to know, but I prepare for the possibility that they will not. My goal is not to win the blame game but to make my life as easy as possible.

rankourabu

There is a HUGE difference between transiting in Thailand, where almost noone needs a visa to begin with to enter, and transferring in China, where almost everyone needs a visa.

As someone who had to twice now battle uninformed agents (TK and OZ) about Chinese TWOV I sympathize with the OP. It could be draining, but one has to stand their ground, and yes, I had a printout both times.

Never had any argument with CA, they know the rules well.

kettle1

See post #219

It takes 2 things - How to read and Timatic (which UA and every other carrier uses).

This agent either can not read or is lazy (and rude).

fastair

The bad thing about the printout is that given the thousands of combinations of destinations, origins, alien residency, and other combinations, rules change often. That's why it's an electronic database, to stay current. At least the printout might convince the agent to re-query the database, inputting it as a transit instead of destination, and read the full text, not just the front page.

GoAmtrak

This only reinforces that the onus should always be on the airline agent to gather all the necessary inputs and carefully query TIMATIC accordingly. Of course knowledge is power for the customer. But it can be very difficult for informed pax to convince a proud "flat-earther" agent of their inaccurate knowledge or an indifferent one of their sloppiness. And when it comes to a requirement as critical as legal rights to enter a country, there should be zero tolerance by airlines for cavalier treatment or assumptions by their agents. This goes both ways, since not taking the process seriously could also lead to a prohibited person from boarding. Neither that nor the OP's ordeal should be acceptable.

Also, what's in the water at PHX? UA seems to be challenged getting certain agents there to acknowledge or adhere to actual policies.

Loren Pechtel

You don't understand.

You don't need to check the kitchen--washing their hands is normal procedure.

How often does the check-in clerk at an airport other than LAX or SFO encounter people transiting China? Rarely. It's *NOT* their normal procedure.

mgcsinc

It's the business that they're in and they have a magical system designed especially to help them do it. It's completely insane that they would turn someone away who's about to embark on a huge trip without being really, really, really, really, really, really sure they're doing their job right.

LilAbner

You don't understand.

We're not talking about "Pearl Diver's" washing dishes in a Chinese restaurant.

The OP had everything that was needed to transit China on his trip to MNL. If UA doesn't train their people properly, and if the t/a adamantly refuses to allow these people to board their plane to a connection to an international flight, perhaps it's time that these front line employees get some experience in the kitchen, making sausage paddy's for breakfasts.

As has been referenced many times, and just yesterday confirmed by my daughter, who works a ticket counter in LAS, there are resources available at the touch of a few keys that gives them everything that they need to know in just such a case as this.

Besides, wouldn't it be prudent to ask someone with a little more knowledge rather than screw up a trip for these folks?

We will probably never hear from the OP again and these latest posts are just a discussion between people on here, but I can assure you that there are t/a's that don't have a clue as to what the rules are and cop an attitude immediately. Case in point, every time I go to LAS and ask for a gate pass to the UC, I am told "Negatory" -NO CAN DO!!! After I reverse the tables and cop an even bigger tude, and tell them to call the club to get the straight skinny I am handed my pass, but never receive an apology or "I didn't know that, thanks"!

The OP was definitely in over his head with the t/a and it's too bad that we couldn't get a hold of him to advise him what he should now do about this.

China Clipper

Sorry to say, printouts are useless in the face of corporate martinets. Or government ones. I can tell you stories about the USPS, for example.

In a nutshell: Don't quote their rules to them. It enrages them.

Don't ask to speak to their supervisor. They're under orders from their supervisors not to bring problems to them. "They'll just tell you what I've told you."

Unfortunately, this doesn't leave too many options.

Run home with your tail between your legs. That's what they're aiming for.

Silver Fox

You are missing my point.

LilAbner

I get your point and from someone that lived in BKK they'll tell you where you can shove your visa rules (point first) AND THERE AIN'T MUCH THAT YOU CAN DO IF THEY WANT TO PUSH THE ISSUE.

I've had baggage allowance rules in hand many times and it's up to the individual supervisor as to how much you are going to be allowed to check in, without going to the payment dept, on your domestic flight after coming in on an international flight. The only thing that has ever save 3 LilAb's with 9X70 lbs checked all the way from LAS-SFO-NRT-BKK-KKC is a discussion with the super from my wife in the sane LAO dialect as the village up country.

cmn.jcs

Regarding the OP coming back, she posted the story (pretty much word for word as in her post) to the United Facebook page. The UA rep gave the standard feedback link; perhaps she's just waiting to get a response to that.

kettle1

Try LAS and many cities all over the USA. These agents need training. Thousands of people transit through China DAILY without a visa and if the UA agent in PHX did her job* this would not have happened. Lazy and rude, on top of not knowing how to use Timatic.

How many people stick around to defend UA for everything. ON THIS ONE - THIS UA AGENT WAS WRONG!*

She ruined a "once in a lifetime vacation".

Again read post #219

It takes 2 things - How to read and Timatic (which UA and every other carrier uses).

* I put this star here as we have not heard back from the OP and do not know for sure it WAS a US passport. That matters.

MSPeconomist

As people have pointed out repeatedly in this thread, it really doesn't matter what passport the OP was using. Virtually ALL PASSPORTS are eligible for China's 24 hour TWOV. It's only for 72 hour TVOW that one's passport matters.

BadgerBoi

Raally? For a major international airline, a passenger traveling from country A to country C with a transit through country B isn't normal procedure?