Refused Boarding On Cebu Pacific

[Lancelot]

I have traveled BKK-Philippines several times on Air Asia (BKK-KL-Clark/MNL) using one way tickets. I like the flexibility of one way tickets so that I can adjust my return date to my schedule. The seven hour BKK-KL layover is a bit long, so I decided to book with Cebu Pacific.

I have flown CP many times domestically in the PI and I felt that their service was a cut about some of the other low cost carriers. I thought I would try CP, since they had a direct BKK-MNL flight, saving me the seven hour layover at KL

No more!

Last night when I attempted to check in at the Q10 CP desk at Suvanabhumi, the agent asked for my return/onward ticket. I just smiled and said that my travel plans were ongoign and that I would purchase another oneway ticket back to BKK or go onwards via ship to Malaysia or Indonesia.

No deal.

I appealed as far as I could go (at the airport) but CP was not interested. They did not even have any refund forms available, so now I have to trudge down to their Silom office to request a refund to my credit card, less THB1,200 service fee.

Yes, their fine print states onward tickets are required by PI Immigration, but they have never, ever asked me for onward tickets at Clark.

So, a word to the wise, if you fly BKK-MNL, do have proof of a return or onward ticket!

FWIW, I am a US citizen, have a Thai retirement visa and many PI entrance/exit stamps in my passport.

Lance

[jdinasia]

Well we have said it many times in reference to people coming to Thailand and planning on using 1-way tickets ... don't do it unless you have a visa. The airlines are well within their rights to deny boarding.

[cdnvic]

The airlines are financially responsible to return you if you are denied entry at your destination (with a hefty fine on top of that in some countries). The CP employee was acting responsibly and you weren't, so stop playing the victim. You tried to take a short cut and paid the price.

Edited March 15, 2007 by cdnvic

[Lancelot]

The airlines are financially responsible to return you if you are denied entry at your destination (with a hefty fine on top of that in some countries). The CP employee was acting responsibly and you weren't, so stop playing the victim. You tried to take a short cut and paid the price.

Victim? Where in my post did I say that? Short cut? Low cost carriers make it difficult to change return dates, so one way tickets are prefferable.

I have flown to Thailand on a one way ticket- never a problem. Immigration never asks about the (return/onward) ticket. Air Aisa has never made it an issue.

Anyway, my post was for informational purposes.

[nonthaburial]

I have heard it said on many occasion, that the PI immigration will not allow a non Filipino into the country unless a return ticket is shown as proof of outward travel.

With that in mid CP were perfectly correct in their actions, and I would suggest Air Asia are in the wrong.

As a side line it may interest you to learn that if you are resident in the PI and are on a tourist visa you can only stay the allowed days i.e 28 days. However if you are married to a Philippine passport holder and you are accompanied by your spouse on arrival you can request and get a Balikbayan visa valid for one year !

[cdnvic]

Victim? Where in my post did I say that?

In the rather hysterical original title of the topic.

[meadish_sweetball]

The airlines are financially responsible to return you if you are denied entry at your destination (with a hefty fine on top of that in some countries). The CP employee was acting responsibly and you weren't, so stop playing the victim. You tried to take a short cut and paid the price.

Victim? Where in my post did I say that? Short cut? Low cost carriers make it difficult to change return dates, so one way tickets are prefferable.

I have flown to Thailand on a one way ticket- never a problem. Immigration never asks about the (return/onward) ticket. Air Aisa has never made it an issue.

Anyway, my post was for informational purposes.

Flying anywhere on a one-way ticket without a visa or being able to present an onward ticket can be a problem since as Cdnvic says, the airline will be held financially responsible for your repatriation. The Immigration authorities expect the check-in staff to check this, and hence do not check a second time as a rule.

Every time you buy a one way ticket somewhere without a visa or an onward ticket, you are taking the risk of being refused to board the aircraft.

[Sophon]

The airlines are financially responsible to return you if you are denied entry at your destination (with a hefty fine on top of that in some countries). The CP employee was acting responsibly and you weren't, so stop playing the victim. You tried to take a short cut and paid the price.

Victim? Where in my post did I say that? Short cut? Low cost carriers make it difficult to change return dates, so one way tickets are prefferable.

I have flown to Thailand on a one way ticket- never a problem. Immigration never asks about the (return/onward) ticket. Air Aisa has never made it an issue.

Anyway, my post was for informational purposes.

Flying anywhere on a one-way ticket without a visa or being able to present an onward ticket can be a problem since as Cdnvic says, the airline will be held financially responsible for your repatriation. The Immigration authorities expect the check-in staff to check this, and hence do not check a second time as a rule.

Every time you buy a one way ticket somewhere without a visa or an onward ticket, you are taking the risk of being refused to board the aircraft.

I agree completely with everything meadish said, however the OP did claim to have a Thai visa (or maybe an extension?):

FWIW, I am a US citizen, have a Thai retirement visa and many PI entrance/exit stamps in my passport.

With that in mind I find it surprising that he was denied boarding.

Sophon

[Acquiesce]

What goods a visa for Thailand when your entering a different country?

[Sophon]

What goods a visa for Thailand when your entering a different country?

You are right of course, I misread the post to be about the OP returning to Thailand not the Phillippines.

My bad

Sophon

[Acquiesce]

No Problem, i like the dog by the way.

[aussiestyle1983]

Next time try this, it works if you can do it (Ive done it in the past)

If you have saved any of your old e-tickets, just open one with photoshop or paint or whatever computer program you want and change the info on it. Just make sure it is for a different airline than the one you are flying and make sure you put the correct dates and so on. The few times ive done this the airline only had a quick look at it and didn't check anything, just by showing them something, they were happy. The don't suspect many people do this as well. You can also show it to immigration if you have to, but ONLY as a last resort.

Example: I flew Singapore Airlines from Sydney on a one way ticket to BKK. At the check in counter in Sydeny, they wanted to see my return ticket because I didn't have a proper visa. I just showed them the fake printed out e-ticket (it was an old copy for a one way flight from BKK to Tokyo on Jal) I just changes the dates on photoshop) and it worked!

That way you wont need to worry about anything or you wont need to purschase a return ticket. As long as you only show it to the airline staff at check in if they ask, you should be sweet, because they never check it properly.

You can even use someones elses, just change the name!

thank you for e-tickets!!!

[cdnvic]

What happens if immigration does check and you're not only short one onward ticket, but offering a forged document to enter the country?

Pretty reckless advice if you ask me.

[Jet Gorgon]

What happens if immigration does check and you're not only short one onward ticket, but offering a forged document to enter the country?

Pretty reckless advice if you ask me.

Agreed. No onward ticket is bad enough, but if they catch the forgery, that's big probs.

And for the OP, why can't you buy a round trip open return ticket? Or if you must book the return date, I could always change it at least once without a fee. Return tickets are usually cheaper as well, no?