Denied boarding to Jakarta due to 'damaged' passport

[nlagalle]

Second fail: did the passenger mention Canberra had a direct flight to Jakarta that Qantas could have rerouted them on after Qantas's connecting flight was going to be late? If so there is on reason other than it being full, that should have stopped Qantas rerouting the passenger directly to Jakarta. Is that a second fail by Qantas?

There isn’t a direct flight to Jakarta from Canberra. Only QF flight is from Sydney

 

[clipped_wings]

From what I can read on the USA Homeland Security website (which is the only site I go to for ESTA's) there is nothing that confirms the 6 month rule. Rather, everything points to it being the exact opposite. As long as our passports were valid for the January-February visit - we would have been fine. And yes, I would have had to get new passports before August 2020, but I would have been spared the $600 fee and two ugly photos this week.

And I thought I was a smart traveller

 

[theblank]

the Indonesians are just being bloody minded - which is their right. And another reason why I plan never to go there.

Indonesians can be bloody minded, and so can Australians, so not sure how that matters to this scenario.
In this incident, it was Qantas check in staff that were being bloody minded, there wasnt any Indonesians involved, so its not particularly fair to paint them in this light today.

Disclosure: I love Indonesia.

 

[serfty]

From what I can read on the USA Homeland Security website (which is the only site I go to for ESTA's) there is nothing that confirms the 6 month rule. Rather, everything points to it being the exact opposite. As long as our passports were valid for the January-February visit - we would have been fine. And yes, I would have had to get new passports before August 2020, but I would have been spared the $600 fee and two ugly photos this week.

And I thought I was a smart traveller

I don't rely on others re visa travel requirements.

I use IATA:

IATA - Personalised Passport, Visa & Health travel documentation advice

www.iatatravelcentre.com

However, that does not stop ill informed people (including airline staff/agents at check in) from applying a blanket six month rule to all PAX irrespective of destination.

 

[RooFlyer]

Indonesians can be bloody minded, and so can Australians, so not sure how that matters to this scenario.
In this incident, it was Qantas check in staff that were being bloody minded, there wasnt any Indonesians involved, so its not particularly fair to paint them in this light today.

Disclosure: I love Indonesia.

I made the comment re bloody-mindedness as its obvious that their requirements for passport conditions seems to exceed virtually every other nation on earth (although I haven't tried them all ). As I mentioned up-thread, a passport is an instrument for identification and minor tears etc not impacting on the ability to ID the pax shouldn't invalidate the passport. But they have decided on their rules and good luck to them.

In this case, Qantas were using their understanding of Indonesian requirements (or using it as an excuse), so the Indonesians were 'involved'.

I'm sure I would love Indonesia too, if only given the opportunity to visit. My 7-year-old passport, having gone through about 20+ immigration points every year (14 in the past month!) is getting a bit worn and I wouldn't risk a flight to Indonesia using it, and I'm not intending to get a special one just for that country!

 

[clipped_wings]

@serfty I don't normally either. I do all our flights, passports and ESTA's by myself and never thought the validity was an issue. In fact, it was just a coincidence that the travel agent mentioned it while she was processing our Disneyland tickets (which must be purchased through Flight Centre nowadays).

If nothing else, I now don't have to worry about our passports for another 10 years

 

[33kft]

In this incident, it was Qantas check in staff that were being bloody minded

You can't cynically use airlines as your proxy immigration enforcement mechanism with vague, heavy handed enforcement and excessive penalties (how many airline fares even gross USD$5K in passenger revenue one way to ID?) and then outsource the blame to the airlines forced to enforce your policy. This is just one eyed BS.

 

[Scarlett]

This all took place on Wednesday. I can certainly raise it with Flight Centre, but I wouldn't expect anything other than "Well, that's the official advice we have ma'am and it's not your obligation to take it" response. I doubt they'd say "my bad, here's a refund for the $600".

Yeah that sucks.
I can sort of see the problem though: you didn't go to a travel agent, you went to FC...

 

[harvyk]

That’s something I wasn’t aware of with USA and 6 months remaining .... anyone had a problem with this?

My experience with that was the automated machines would "deny" entry forcing you to go to the customs officer who did the checks manually. Not the nicest words to see on a screen after a 13 hour flight, but apart from that had no problems getting in.

Of course YMMV.

 

[harvyk]

<snip>
However, that does not stop ill informed people (including airline staff/agents at check in) from apply a blanket six month rule to all PAX irrespective of destination.

I probably wouldn't travel on a 6 month passport for this reason alone.
When my old passport was about to expire I had virtually everyone who saw it um and ah it (apart from customs officials who knew the rules, even then they warned me that some countries wouldn't accept it any more). I got a little tired of saying "it's fine, I checked the rules for (insert country here), and it's allowed"

IMHO the 6 month rule is about the most stupid rule I've ever seen. I can't think of any other sort of credential that actually expires well before the published expiry date. I can almost imagine a conversation about car rego nearing expiry going something like this.


Copper: Do you know why we pulled you over?
Me: No
Copper: Your rego has expired
Me: No it hasn't, it doesn't expire until next Tuesday
Copper: Well yes, technically that's true, but you see you might drive the car on Wednesday without getting it re-registered before then
Me: But I have every intention of re-registering the car before the rego expires
Copper: Yes, but you might not, and despite the fact it's registered now, and everything is still legal, we're still going to fine you just in case you decide to drive it after next Tuesday without getting it registered first.

 

[Quickstatus]

6 months is somewhat common throughout the world.

Pretty sure the US does not require six months validity. At least it never has before.

I’ve done USA on a passport with 2 month validity on the day of entry and 1 month validity upon exit during the ESTA era.
No enhanced interrogation.

 

[get me outta here]

Just don’t forget about any stopovers or transits where you are going landside. I’ll be renewing my passport at the six month expiry stage.

 

[Julesmac]

Ironically, I forgot to mention: I was in the travel agent yesterday, securing our 10 day Disneyland Park Hopper tickets. The rep remarked how well organised I was. Then, she casually asked if I had more than 6 months validity on my passport, as the USA was very picky about these things now...….

[insert low, sad trombone here]. A long silence, followed by a longer groan from me.

Off Mr Clipped and I went. Straight home to check. Result? Out of validity by THREE DAYS - D'OH!

Filled in the renewal forms and off we went again - straight to the Post Office. $600 and two photos later - we are back on track for a new 10 year passport.

Isn't it amazing how all the make-up and smooth hair products known to mankind, will simply NOT let me look like Cameron Diaz? I now have a mug shot that would make Chopper Read look good. And he's been dead a few years.

Note to the unwary - ladies that is - always wear full makeup and a red lippy when getting your passport and driver's licence photos taken. Makes a big difference. Another saying - if anyone can recognise you from your passport or licence photo - you're sicker than you thought!

 

[theblank]

and then outsource the blame to the airlines forced to enforce your policy. This is just one eyed BS.

who does this?

 

[33kft]

who does this?

This guy:

In this incident, it was Qantas check in staff that were being bloody minded, there wasnt any Indonesians involved, so its not particularly fair to paint them in this light today.

Yes, it has nothing to do with the Indonesians outside of the fact that it is their policy, they introduced it recently and they chose to enforce it by proxy by requiring that the airlines do the enforcement or be fined several multiples of the ticket price AND get stuck ferrying the pax back.

OR should we go with your theory: airlines find rejecting carriage to pax (under circumstances that mysteriously coincide with Indonesias new policy) to be a better business model and more profitable than just carrying them?

Disclosure: I love Indonesia.

:shock:

 

[Peso]

It's quite odd to see Indonesians being so finicky about damaged ID. Being one with an identity card that is literally peeling off and a tea-soaked passport that has lost almost all of its gold text at the covers, my family and I have never had issues with using them to go thru immigration, polling booth, etc.

 

[equus]

Just don’t forget about any stopovers or transits where you are going landside. I’ll be renewing my passport at the six month expiry stage.

Don't just worry about transits where you are planning to go airside. Transits where you are not, and may get delayed can be an issue. Likewise unplanned diversions.

Had to make a choice recently - passport expiry late July, trip to UK first two weeks in July - no need for 6 months validity for UK. No stop-overs, just transit through SIN with around 90 minutes. SIN requires 6 months validity.

Decided to renew passport early - just in case of delays.

Way over was not much of an issue - just a 90 minute delay on board.

On the way back however, planned 90 minutes turned into 13 hours due to flight delays. Valid passport meant a nice night in SIN instead of stuck in the transit hotel.

 

[theblank]

OR should we go with your theory:

I said nothing like outsourcing blame, but please carry on.

 

[Cossie]

Attached scan of 'damaged' page, dark coloured card inserted to show extent of damage on that side. On the other side the small tear is probably half the width of the other, if you get my drift.

I actually believe the tear is longer now given all the examinations the pp has been under of late!

 

[dajop]

I’ll be renewing my passport at the six month expiry stage.

One problem I'd like to have (having to renew @ 6 months before expiry), rather than 6 years before expiry. Especially now that double thickness passports have been abolished.