Qn on buying tickets through AA and flying Qantas oveseas

[Mal]

Not sure where to put this question... Could fit in a few forums. Mods, move it to Immigration and Customs if you feel you should, or maybe even the "Your Questions" forum. All could be worthy homes for it.

I asked this on the AA ticket purchasing thread a while ago, but didn't receive any feedback, so hoping posting it separately may solicit some feedback.

I purchased a ticket on the AA website for a QF flight to the United States. I used "my" non-Australian "postal" (not residential) address for the ticket to avoid issues with credit card payments from Australian based credit cards. Suprisingly enough my non-Australian address looks very similar to my Australian address. Since booking the ticket I've added my QF number.

Any ideas if the address on your FF card overides what Qantas receives as your address from AA? Does U.S immigration actually care what address is there, and basically can anyone forsee any issues? (Bearing in mind the U.S is uploaded just about everything about your booking possible!) Will I be asked for my residential address on Checkin at the same time I'm asked for my US based address for the first night?

Any ways of getting Qantas to override the address in the booking? Can't see AA being too receptive to me calling up to change my country - and besides as it is already in Amadeus, I doubt if changes made by AA will filter through properly.

I'm set to try out this sometime in the relatively near future. If I end up deported, well I'll learn for next time (maybe when I'm queueing at the U.S embassy looking for a Visa )

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

I'm not sure why you'd be worried about a difference in the addresses of your FFP and credit cards. You've already paid for the ticket, and the only other important address is on the immigration form (plus at check in), assuming you are not a US citizen.

 

[NM]

I'm not sure why you'd be worried about a difference in the addresses of your FFP and credit cards. You've already paid for the ticket, and the only other important address is on the immigration form (plus at check in), assuming you are not a US citizen.

The USA green I94W Visa Waiver form does not ask about residential address. It only asks for country of citizenship, country where you live, city where you boarded the flight to the USA, and your address while in the USA.

My corporate TA has a travel profile for each traveller that is used to create travel bookings. That profile does not include my residential address. It includes my Passport details (country, number, date of expiry etc) and my contact details (phone number for me and next of kin).

So from that I assume my flight bookings to the USA do not require my residential address to be included in the airline's booking information, nor that such information would be provided to the US Dept of Immigration. I have never been asked for my residential address when checking-in for an international flight. All that is needed by the airline, Australian DIMA and US government in order to identify me is my passport details (including date of birth, country etc).

 

[Mal]

Thanks guys.

My understanding of APIS is that the following information (plus a lot more) is transferred to the US immigration authorities by your airline:

Address
All forms of payment information
Billing address
Frequent flyer information (miles flown and address)

My question related to whether they would be concerned about a mismatch between the Credit card address information/ receipt information / FF information / Country of residence on VWP form.

Spose I'll know soon enough. For most countries not worried, but under the VWP I'm always a bit spooked by the final decision, no appeal type issues that the VWP entails.

 

[NM]

Thanks guys.

My understanding of APIS is that the following information (plus a lot more) is transferred to the US immigration authorities by your airline:

Address
All forms of payment information
Billing address
Frequent flyer information (miles flown and address)

If I am on a Qantas flight, using my AA FF number and booked through my corporate travel agent, I don't know how Qantas can end up with my residential or billing address. All they get is my Diners Club card number and expiry date for the billing info, and QF can't get my postal address from my AA FF number.

So what is the "Address" info sent to the US government agency by the airline? Is it your planned address in the USA, or your home residential address? If planned address in the USA, then I expect my TA may be providing that since they know as they have booked my accommodation (usually but not always).

 

[Mal]

Ok, I feel a lot better now about having mish-mashed addresses

Thanks.

 

[Mal]

As a postscript to this, I didn't have any issues entering the LOTFAP. I was asked a weird question when using the TRS scheme in Sydney though (Do you live in Australia?) but that's probably a more generic question than one related to how my ticket was purchased.