Awful BA experience advice please

bagand96

Nickb12 wrote: »

Passport office have admitted an error on the passport yes. Hard not to. My issue with BA is treatment and refusal to board me when they could of easily called us immigration or us embassy to clarify.

BA have a good defense to not board you. Your passport said "British Subject". They are not eligible for Visa Waiver travel.

The fact that you travelled before to the USA is not relevant. I'm guessing it was just not spotted on the other occasions. If BA had called the US embassy (not their place to really) and said "we've got a passenger here with an ESTA based on being a British Citizen, however the passport they've presented says British Subject" who knows what they'd have said. They may also have refused travel.

shaun_from_Africa

I've done nothing wrong here

But neither have BA or the airport security staff. According to the type of passport that you had, you were not eligible for entry into the US so once spotted, they had no option but to refuse you permission to travel.


Getting through US immigration checks can sometimes be difficult even with the correct paperwork.
Early last year I flew into Charlotte NC and spent 1 1/2 hours being grilled by an immigration official. This interview included a piece by piece search of all of my baggage (including my wallet) and a good questioning about my working history.

The whole reason for this was simply because I was entering the country on a Visa and not an ESTA and having British Citizenship and they thought it looked a bit dodgy. (having a few years worth of Libyan visas and entry stamps didn't help matters).

Bob_the_Saver

Looks like BA was 100% correct

British Subjects
British subjects (ie. not Citizens) are not eligible to travel visa free under the Visa Waiver Program and require visas to travel to the United States.

From
http://www.visitusa.org.uk/Visa-and-ESTA-Information/125

jtr2803

I can honestly tell you that I would have no idea whether my passport says British citizen or British subject and neither would I have had any clue that British Subject meant something entirely different!

OP, I can in many ways agree with the other posters, it's not BAs fault, the issue seems to be on production of your passport. I am very sorry for your loss of holiday.

Nickb12

BoB I'm a citizen my passport number and home office records state I'm a citizen, the typo states Subject. Anyhow thanks for the helpful posts

photome

Just got up read the thread and from not understanding why BA refused, it now seems clear that the passport is wrong and you are not eligible for ESTA and BA were right in refusing you, your issue is with passport office and yourself, but I guess you know that now.

I also wouldnt have know what it said in my passport, have just checked, it does say citizen

zagfles

OP - put in a complaint to the passport office as it sounds like they screwed up big time - you could well get compensation from them.

lgw29

the G4S security guard is there to check the passports, due to online check in so no one sees them till you are at the gate he notices that your birth place and british subject don't match, could he have thought you passport was a fake? so you were denied travel under the travellers check list it states you have to have a valid passport you don't http://www.britishairways.com/travel/travelwise/public/en_gb

_Andy_

That is an awful complaint letter.

Bob_the_Saver

Nickb12 wrote: »

BoB I'm a citizen my passport number and home office records state I'm a citizen, the typo states Subject. Anyhow thanks for the helpful posts

This might well be the case but your complaint was about BA who were not to blame.