As the title says, Yesterday I was traveling back to Bangkok from Phnom Penh airport with JC International airlines. At check in our queue was really slow and we found out why when we tried to check in, The staff were asking us to show onward flights out of Thailand, I can understand them asking my two travel companions as they are on tourist visas but they kept telling everyone that "if you have no onward ticket they will charge you $1000 USD to board"

I have a multi-entry retirement extension valid until May and was very surprised by this.

I do actually have an ongoing flight out of Thailand next month (luckily) but normally I would not have this - I argued my case regarding holding a retirement visa and they and their supervisor said the rules changed yesterday - everyone needs an onward flight. Then I was also given the $1000 USD option to board at which point I relented and showed my onward ticket. We could also overhear other people on retirement visas getting the same BS in the next queue.

Needless to say, none of us will be using that airline again or visiting Phnom Penh again.

Another thread about poorly informed/educated idiots that works on airlines.... Good on you, dont use that company again.

 

glegolo

Thanks to the OP for the info on the cheating scammer airline - JC International Airlines....definately boycotted from my list of carriers.

JC in this case evidently stands for Jesus Christ! 

Hi observer90210, I don't think they were trying to scam us I think they were just incompetent. We speculated that perhaps the $1000 was to cover them if they were fined for flying people in without onward tickets perhaps? I have emailed their complaints department in Cambodia and if they reply I will update the story.

20 minutes ago, scotinsiam said:

Hi observer90210, I don't think they were trying to scam us I think they were just incompetent. We speculated that perhaps the $1000 was to cover them if they were fined for flying people in without onward tickets perhaps? I have emailed their complaints department in Cambodia and if they reply I will update the story.

Only thing to do really... agree it's down to ignorance and incompetence. As an aside, since the advent of cheap local simcards and much better smartphones in recent years, I don't think I've ever been at an airport check in without some data access on my phone, which means it's possible to book a 900 baht onward flight to Rangoon right on the spot. 

I do not respond well to blatant ignorance and corruption...you sir handled the situation admirably...  

Book a bus trip across a border, ive done that in Indo.

Some airlines ask passengers who don't have a return or onwards ticket to sign a waiver absolving the airline of any liability or responsibility if the passenger is refused entry at the destination because they don't have an onwards ticket. If JC International should provide passengers without an onwards ticket with a waiver which must be signed before they board.

2 hours ago, observer90210 said:

Thanks to the OP for the info on the cheating scammer airline - JC International Airlines....definately boycotted from my list of carriers.

Yes, that was a  scam. Not poorly educated or stupid airline staff. I had never heard of JC International Airlines , how much is their ticket PP-BKK?

35 minutes ago, mstevens said:

Some airlines ask passengers who don't have a return or onwards ticket to sign a waiver absolving the airline of any liability or responsibility if the passenger is refused entry at the destination because they don't have an onwards ticket. If JC International should provide passengers without an onwards ticket with a waiver which must be signed before they board.

Your talking about travelers WITHOUT a valid visa to Thailand. In op case onward not required not is waiver.

45 minutes ago, indepth said:

Book a bus trip across a border, ive done that in Indo.

The op was RETURNING to bkk from pp. He is on retirement extension. You suggest bus trip? to border crossing los?  Why not go to Saigon by bus make a weekend of it.

A few years ago when returning to Thailand from Australia flying with an Australian airline, the person checking me in tried to insist that I needed a return ticket to Australia.

After spending nearly 15 minutes explaining that I lived here had a retirement extension etc etc and showing the extensions from previous years I insisted she call a manager.

The guy had a quick look at my passport, gave her a demeaning look, shook his head, told her to check me in and walked away.

I put it down to lack of trainining or the person not being very smart.

 

27 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The op was RETURNING to bkk from pp. He is on retirement extension. You suggest bus trip? to border crossing los?  Why not go to Saigon by bus make a weekend of it.

Or bicycle even. ????????

2 hours ago, lamyai3 said:

Only thing to do really... agree it's down to ignorance and incompetence. As an aside, since the advent of cheap local simcards and much better smartphones in recent years, I don't think I've ever been at an airport check in without some data access on my phone, which means it's possible to book a 900 baht onward flight to Rangoon right on the spot. 

why would you? 

39 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The op was RETURNING to bkk from pp. He is on retirement extension. You suggest bus trip? to border crossing los?  Why not go to Saigon by bus make a weekend of it.

Book a bus trip out of Thailand so that he gets an onward ticket.

3 hours ago, lamyai3 said:

JC in this case evidently stands for Jesus Christ! 

Must be because it made everyone very 'cross'.

19 minutes ago, overherebc said:

47 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

The op was RETURNING to bkk from pp. He is on retirement extension. You suggest bus trip? to border crossing los?  Why not go to Saigon by bus make a weekend of it.

Or bicycle even. ????????

Or bicycle odd - probably make it a unicycle or tricycle...

 

5 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Must be because it made everyone very 'cross'.

Is there a 'groan' emoji?

????????????

3 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Or bicycle odd - probably make it a unicycle or tricycle...

 

Join the hash house harriers and follow the paper trail.

ON-ON.

1 minute ago, overherebc said:

Is there a 'groan' emoji?

????????????

Yes, it's this one:

Book online fly ticket to nearby country with insurance then cancel ticket. Bus ticket did not do it for me when I crossed from Poi Pet land border.

33 minutes ago, Myran said:

Book a bus trip out of Thailand so that he gets an onward ticket.

There have been lots of treads about "onward flight" requirement. I as per op, am living bkk retirement extension. So to point. I fly Saigon every couple of weeks and back. Last trip at check in Saigon. The lady was flicking through my pp. I said..your looking for my Thai visa?

Answer Yes. I show her my visa and then asked her what if I didn't have one. Her reply ....you need show onward flight. I asked is bus ticket OK. Her answer... NO.

That was AirAsia 

11 minutes ago, Tayaout said:

Book online fly ticket to nearby country with insurance then cancel ticket. Bus ticket did not do it for me when I crossed from Poi Pet land border.

Yes true but this OP has a Thai visa. Does not require onward flight.

I have a valid retirement extension and re-entry permit, but I remember once being taken to one side at the business class check-in on Etihad whilst they got in a big huddle to work out whether I needed an onward ticket or not. I explained what I had to the supervisor and it was quickly sorted.

 

It must be very hard for them to keep track of all the different rules and regulations for each destination, and harder still to even understand what the many visa stamps and extensions actually mean.

 

I used them a few weeks ago to fly to Phnom Penh from BKK, the check in was slow due to staff having passengers to sign a disclaimer form. When I came to check in he asked me about a visa, I assume Cambodia ! I told him you get one on arrival, he was obviously not aware of that, then asked about onward travel? I had a one way ticket, To were I replied, back to Thailand he said, I replied I may not go back to Thailand, anyway after a few more stupid questions I signed a disclaimer. Just sheer stupidity and ignorance by JC staff.

Sent from my vivo 1601 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

2 hours ago, mstevens said:

Some airlines ask passengers who don't have a return or onwards ticket to sign a waiver absolving the airline of any liability or responsibility if the passenger is refused entry at the destination because they don't have an onwards ticket. If JC International should provide passengers without an onwards ticket with a waiver which must be signed before they board.

A waiver is fine, but won't cover the cost of returning the traveller to the starting point if they are refused entry at destination. But your visa was good so either incompetence or a scam. Some time back my wife was refused check in by Thai Airways because she had no return ticket although she had a good visa to enter France, her destination, without one as my family member. Its too late to do anything by that time of course so you have no choice. In her case to rebook with a return ticket at huge additional cost. I always book returns now, even for myself!

Good to know.

2 lessons:

-boycott JC Air for life

-always buy a refundable tix out, then cancel

 

Too many stories of incompetence/scams regarding onwards travel.

 

1 hour ago, StevieAus said:

A few years ago when returning to Thailand from Australia flying with an Australian airline, the person checking me in tried to insist that I needed a return ticket to Australia.

After spending nearly 15 minutes explaining that I lived here had a retirement extension etc etc and showing the extensions from previous years I insisted she call a manager.

The guy had a quick look at my passport, gave her a demeaning look, shook his head, told her to check me in and walked away.

I put it down to lack of trainining or the person not being very smart.

 

Had exactly the same thing a few years ago - with valid marriage extension & re-entry permit - but that was returning to BKK from Singapore on Singapore Airlines. Resolved by a more knowledgeable supervisor but I'd expect better from even inexperienced Singapore Airlines staff.

5 hours ago, glegolo said:

Another thread about poorly informed/educated idiots that works on airlines.... Good on you, dont use that company again.

 

glegolo

3

Even happens in USA, I had a friend on retirement extension , came back to Boston,MA for a visit. When he tried to board the plane in Boston to go back to Bangkok the girl at counter said he needed a RT ticket. He had to ask for a supervisor who told the girl board him, he lives in Thailand, doesn't need a return ticket.