Thai Airways Phitsanulok Office

[Vatman]

My Thai wife has a Thai passport & a UK passport- both valid. We retired to Phetchabun 2 years ago. On Monday March 23rd she drove the 3 hours to the Phitsanulok office of Thai Airways (she has been a Thai frequent flyer for years) to purchase a return ticket to Frankfurt to visit a sick friend. Not cheap at over 45000 Bt but they refused to sell it to her on the basis that she may be refused entry "because she wouldn`t have an exit stamp from Thailand in her UK passport". She uses her Thai passport here obviously. She called me from their office & I said they were wrong. But the combined staff of 7 refused to sell the ticket. Can anyone explain this?

[Mossfinn]

The wife always uses her Thai PP out of and into Thailand, whilst using her Brit PP out of and into the UK.

But she should have both PP's with her each time, so no idea what the problem is here.

Good Luck

Moss

Edited March 28, 2009 by Mossfinn

[theoldgit]

I really cannot understand why Thai continues to lose customers.

[7by7]

As airlines are subject to heavy fines if they carry a passenger who is refused entry at their destination then they do wish to be as sure as possible that this will not happen.

However, as a British passport holder your wife will not be refused entry to Germany. Provided she uses her British passport to enter, of course; even if that passport does not have an exit stamp from her departure point.

It seems that the staff at this particular office are not as aware of this as they should be.

I suggest that you either try a different Thai Airways office, or a different airline.

[Eff1n2ret]

One can only assume they think there's a problem about a UK passport-holder entering Germany from a third country with no evidence of their stay in that country. It's total nonsense, but you can't argue with ignorance.

[MJo]

Buy online.

I also hear KLM and Finnair have good deals to europe at the moment. 45k sound a bit high.

[Lite Beer]

Moved to travel.

[torrenova]

Online does not solve all the problems. Last week, flying BKK-HKT they were going to refuse me to board because I could not produce the Kasikorn Web Card I used to pay for the ticket. This card is internet only and does not physically exist !

I do not expect them to know about the whole world's banking variations but I think they should be aware of perhaps the most popular web card issued in their own country by one of their leading banks !

I was faced with just sheer ignorance which came across as disbelief as though whatever they do not know could not possibly exist. Utter incompetence.

[theoldgit]

Presume they let you on in the end, how did you convince them?

I have booked an Air Asia flight with my Kasikorn Web Card, only time will tell if I will actually get to fly.

[torrenova]

After their bluster that they could not be wrong I stood by the fact that they should know about their own country's banking systems. They went off for some consultation and said that next time I should bring the card. Still they don't get it but they think they can speak English and understand it. Not a hope. Uneventful return leg.

Air Asia usually send you through to Verified by Visa which if you have not done so with the web card, do so now. Even then, I have had them ask to see the card.

Interestingly enough, one of the major airlines, perhaps Cathay or Singapore actually states at payment that if the card used is not Verified by Visa or the Mastercard equivalent, then they want to see it. However, if it does have that secondary security, then they don't need to see it. Quite important when buying tickets for other people.

[MJo]

Good point Torrenova,

i fly LH couple of weeks back and purchased my ticket some 6 hours before the flight and put it on company credit card that was not with me at the time. No problem at check-in whatsoever.

However my friend purchased his ticket few days earlier for the same flight and it turns out in check-in that his card is not charged. Had to provide the card used for booking so that they could process the payment before flight.

So they ask for the card for reason, i.e. if the payment is not processed for some reason before the flight they need the card to charge it on check-in. Some airlines also have time limits. I.e. if you purchase online less than xx hours before the flight you need to have the card with you.

Maybe not the best practise for us customers but airlines do what they please and usually there is no way you can talk them not to follow their instructions. In any case i would not purchase tickets using these web cards, Thai and Thai AA might be familiar with them but i don't think i.e. european airlines have any idea that they exist. Better to have the plastic in your pocket when checking in if any means possible.

OG, flew Air Asia twice last month. Both time bought tickets the previous day and no requests to see credit card so you should be ok. If you want to be sure check that the payment has been charged in your card. If you can see it in your card AA should see it in their system as well.

[Vatman]

I have received an acknowledgement from Thai Airways Customer Relations to my email regarding the refusal of the Phitsanulok office to sell my wife a return ticket to Germany. They promise a full reply later. I will add this when I receive it. Thanks for all your comments.

[Vatman]

After 5 weeks Thai Customer Relations emailed their `full reply`. Unfortunately it failed to address the question. Quotes regarding IATA regulations regarding `conditions of carriage` etc. etc. but the fact that the Phitsanulok office was in error was ignored. I have emailed expressing my dissatisfaction with the reply & asking them just to concede that in this particular case the Phitsanulok office was wrong to refuse to sell my wife a ticket. I do not expect a reply.

[loong]

When you go through passport control in Germany are they even aware of where your flight originated from?