Return flight without leaving the airport

[Lawrage]

Pretty odd question here, say one wanted to take an international return flight from A - B, transit for a couple hours, not leave the airport and return back B - A.

Aside from maybe having to explain it at checkin is this allowed?

 

[AIRwin]

International?

 

[Lawrage]

International?

Yes

 

[justinbrett]

It really depends on the country.

NZ for an Australian citizen? Doable.

Other countries not so much.

 

[AIRwin]

Other countries not so much.

SIN?

 

[Lawrage]

SIN?

Lets Say SYD - SIN - SYD

Post automatically merged: Mar 3, 2023

It really depends on the country.

NZ for an Australian citizen? Doable.

Other countries not so much.

Well say you are only transitting SIN or DBX, Neither technically require visas to transit. Would the checkin person stop you.

 

[justinbrett]

Lets Say SYD - SIN - SYD

Post automatically merged: Mar 3, 2023

Well say you are only transitting SIN or DBX, Neither technically require visas to transit. Would the checkin person stop you.

I think there's a good chance you would be flagged at some point on your journey and heavily questioned/searched. But yes, there's nothing illegal about it. That questioning might be back in SYD.

I've flown SYD-AKL-BNE with a 12 hour stop and I had a hotel reservation and I was nearly denied entry - as a AU citizen! I was fortunate that her supervisor knew what a status run was.

 

[Lawrage]

I think there's a good chance you would be flagged at some point on your journey and heavily questioned/searched. But yes, there's nothing illegal about it. That questioning might be back in SYD.

I've flown SYD-AKL-BNE with a 12 hour stop and I had a hotel reservation and I was nearly denied entry - as a AU citizen! I was fortunate that her supervisor knew what a status run was.

Oh wow that would have been rough.

 

[justinbrett]

I think SYD-PER on a separate booking then PER-SIN-SYD would be much easier to explain.

 

[eric2011]

I have done a BNE-AKL-BNE but I did need to clear customs and then go through customs again to leave. All was on one ticket and had both OLCI boarding passes with me. Technically I was in NZ for only 15 minutes while I went from the arrivals to the departures

 

[snabbu]

Reminds me of the LAX-DFW-ORD-MIA-PTY vv same day turns where you disembark in PTY and literally line up for the boarding process back onto the same plane. 25% chance of secondary screening at MIA on the return but they are mostly aware of status runs so let you go relatively quickly.

 

[LadyC]

I've done a couple of status credit runs to AKL and back with no issue. I already had my return boarding passes so stayed airside the whole time and haven't been questioned to date.

 

[dajop]

I think SYD-PER on a separate booking then PER-SIN-SYD would be much easier to explain.

PER-SIN-SYD on QF would be fine.

On SQ, if it ticketed, probably would slip through the cracks, but in theory could there be a problem with cabotage if only a short layover in SIN?

 

[Guvner]

I've done MEL-AKL-MEL, stayed airside in AKL for 3 hours, no questions asked.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Reminds me of the LAX-DFW-ORD-MIA-PTY vv same day turns where you disembark in PTY and literally line up for the boarding process back onto the same plane. 25% chance of secondary screening at MIA on the return but they are mostly aware of status runs so let you go relatively quickly.

I always thought SJU was the turnaround point of choice on such runs?

 

[snabbu]

I always thought SJU was the turnaround point of choice on such runs?

There were many over the years. SJU/PTY/AUA/etc

 

[Lawrage]

Moving this to Europe say AMS - LHR - AMS would be strange but say FRA - LHR - AMS would probably be acceptable

 

[JohnK]

@Lawrage I have done this many times.

SIN is easiest due to transfer desk.

Also TPE, HKG, BKK, KUL, MNL fairly easy.

There have been times where I have gone through immigration and back through just to get stamps in passport.

Some places ask questions but all you have to say is I'm doing it for frequent flyer points and never any issues.

 

[Hvr]

I've flown SYD-AKL-BNE with a 12 hour stop and I had a hotel reservation and I was nearly denied entry - as a AU citizen!

I had that experience CHC. However, the immigration staff needed to be educated about status runs. Still it was a close call.

 

[Lawrage]

@Lawrage I have done this many times.

SIN is easiest due to transfer desk.

Also TPE, HKG, BKK, KUL, MNL fairly easy.

There have been times where I have gone through immigration and back through just to get stamps in passport.

Some places ask questions but all you have to say is I'm doing it for frequent flyer points and never any issues.

Thanks JohnK, this is good info and glad you were able to do it. Did you have any questioning at checkin?