Eva Air - very bad experience and can i get flight cost back?

dzug1

marshmallow77 wrote: »

I've flown to the US 3 times in the past 3 years and never once has any of the airlines (BA & Virgin) checked if i have a valid ESTA. They've only asked 20mins before landing!!! (Didn't realise that the airline would be fined though.)

)

Yes they have checked - before you boarded. They don't need to involve you - they have computer access. They just swipe your passport/read the chip and it checks the US database.

Cabin staff only ask so they know what landing card(s) to give you

PZH

mat5664 wrote: »

Airlines are heavily fined for letting people without valid visas/travel documents onto flights - so yes it is the airlines responsibility.

And I think they are also responsible for the return travel after bringing someone into a country without the correct paperwork.

Edit:- As already pointed out...

TakeThis wrote: »

If you are rejected at the other end, the airline has to bear the cost of repatriating you and can face a hefty fine.

Johnnyy_Boy

Flown EVA many times to BKK and never encountered a problem. Maybe it helped that I knew the Station Manager there

SecLender

Glad I read this thread while I was bored at work. I'm flying to BKK with EVA tonight (at the airport now). I have a one way ticket but plan to fly on to Bali in a few weeks. Had no print outs for onward flights but after reading this decided to print them out.

Guess what. EVA asked me to prove I had onward flights when I went to check in.

I have managed to get into Thailand in the past without a return/onward flights. Looks like the airlines are cracking down on this...

Barterman

TakeThis wrote: »

Sorry, but you are in the wrong here. It is absolutely your responsibility to obtain the correct visa for your stay or the airline can refuse to board you.
If you are rejected at the other end, the airline has to bear the cost of repatriating you and can face a hefty fine.
Why should they take that risk just because you could not be be bothered to get a visa?

Unless you purchased a fully refundable ticket, they have no obligation to give you a refund.

Apart from anything else, you have also got the visa rules quite wrong.
Crossing the border will only get you a 15 day extension.

You claim

If so, why did you not present the evidence of the bookings made?

Clearly they had no evidence of any flight to another country within thirty days, so your arguments are and were without basis.

So they informed you that without a visa, you have to show evidence of a flight out out the country within 31 days.
That is the correct advice.

So because of poor planning and research, they were forced to purchase these tickets. The choice is usually between the cheapest tickets that you can find or the most expensive fully flexible, fully refundable tickets.
If they went for the cheapest option, they will be lucky to get a refund at all.

So, instead of slagging EVA AIR off for your mistake....get a visa next time.
It appears that someone tried to save the money spent on getting the correct visa and just got caught out.

No sympathy I'm afraid. You should have known better. They are not uninformed, you are.

Hi i travelled to Thailand in Feburary,just using the normal 30 day visa, which is filled out on the plane journey.I had no return flight as i was later travelling to Laos by car (not sure how i could have proved this if neccassary)and was not sure of my return date.At no point was i ever asked to show any return flights.Basically when you arrive in Thailand they just want to know how long you will be staying and any addresses if available.I flew with Emirates and no questions were asked.

TakeThis

Barterman wrote: »

Hi i travelled to Thailand in Feburary,just using the normal 30 day visa, which is filled out on the plane journey.I had no return flight as i was later travelling to Laos by car (not sure how i could have proved this if neccassary)and was not sure of my return date.At no point was i ever asked to show any return flights.Basically when you arrive in Thailand they just want to know how long you will be staying and any addresses if available.I flew with Emirates and no questions were asked.

There is no "30 day visa", it is a visa exemption for thirty days. The Immigration form has to be filled in whether you have a visa or not.

You were lucky on that occasion. I wouldn't make a habit of it....wouldn't want to read your complaint here at a later date.

Barterman

TakeThis wrote: »

There is no "30 day visa", it is a visa exemption for thirty days. The Immigration form has to be filled in whether you have a visa or not.

You were lucky on that occasion. I wouldn't make a habit of it....wouldn't want to read your complaint here at a later date.

Then i must have been lucky 5 times as i do the same trip every year and every year Thailand change the rules on Visas and visa exemption but the fact remains if people are travelling without a return ticket can still go to Thailand.Not arguing but it seems funny that Eva force people to get a return ticket when you can stay 30 days then move on to another country without a visa.I'm never sure when exactly i will be returning home and never actually return from Thailand.

Barterman

TakeThis wrote: »

There is no "30 day visa", it is a visa exemption for thirty days. The Immigration form has to be filled in whether you have a visa or not.

You were lucky on that occasion. I wouldn't make a habit of it....wouldn't want to read your complaint here at a later date.

But thinking about it (thanks you got me worried about next year lol) it may be worth someone booking a cheap flight out of Bangkok to another country nearby this would probably be ok as you are showing that you are not staying and flights can be found for as little as £10 so not a great expense.

TakeThis

Barterman wrote: »

But thinking about it (thanks you got me worried about next year lol) it may be worth someone booking a cheap flight out of Bangkok to another country nearby this would probably be ok as you are showing that you are not staying and flights can be found for as little as £10 so not a great expense.

Since the departure tax is 700 baht(£14 to £15) alone, your claim of £10 for International flights doesn't really hold any water.

Have you ever thought about just getting a visa?

How difficult can that be? It's one thing not knowing and making a genuine mistake and quite another deliberately flouting their rules.

There are definitely times when the Immigration officers will ask to see tickets. If you are found to not have a Tourist Visa when using a one way ticket, you might find yourself in a sticky situation....as well as dropping the airline in it.

As to "Thailand changing rules on Visas and Visa Exemptions..." ... you have always been required to get a Visa for stays over 30 days.
So what has changed other than them trying to discourage people from crossing the border continually, simply in order to get renewed Visa Exemptions?

Barterman

TakeThis wrote: »

Since the departure tax is 700 baht(£14 to £15) alone, your claim of £10 for International flights doesn't really hold any water.

Have you ever thought about just getting a visa?

How difficult can that be? It's one thing not knowing and making a genuine mistake and quite another deliberately flouting their rules.

There are definitely times when the Immigration officers will ask to see tickets. If you are found to not have a Tourist Visa when using a one way ticket, you might find yourself in a sticky situation....as well as dropping the airline in it.

As to "Thailand changing rules on Visas and Visa Exemptions..." ... you have always been required to get a Visa for stays over 30 days.
So what has changed other than them trying to discourage people from crossing the border continually, simply in order to get renewed Visa Exemptions?

Ok sorry cheapest i found is £20 (with all taxes added) to Cambodia but still not going to break the bank.I personally do not cross the border to extend any stay i travel to another countrty and stay there just because its cheaper to do it this way.