Flying On Seaman's Ticket

[jonnyscot]

For those of us that fly to work on a seaman ticket, Im just wondering whether all airlines are requesting IN addition to presenting your seaman book at checkin, a certificate(document) from your employer confirming you are travelling as a seaman and entitled to the benefits of travel on offshore fare,,,

On my last 2 departures I've been asked to produce this document,,

prior to this all I've ever been asked for at checkin was only my seaman book, just to add that both times have been when flying Qatar airlines,

for the previous 2 or 3 years mainly flying with emirates I can't recall ever being asked to produce anything other than seamans book.

Anyone's experiences on this??

[IrishIvan]

For those of us that fly to work on a seaman ticket, Im just wondering whether all airlines are requesting IN addition to presenting your seaman book at checkin, a certificate(document) from your employer confirming you are travelling as a seaman and entitled to the benefits of travel on offshore fare,,,

On my last 2 departures I've been asked to produce this document,,

prior to this all I've ever been asked for at checkin was only my seaman book, just to add that both times have been when flying Qatar airlines,

for the previous 2 or 3 years mainly flying with emirates I can't recall ever being asked to produce anything other than seamans book.

Anyone's experiences on this??

many times. I alwsys give them my Panamanian one even though I am Australian. Sometimes they demand Aussie seamans book sometimes not. Some airlines out of Australia also require an outgoing ticket from Thailand. I just say I will be leaving Thailand on a friends yacht called the 'master baiter' it annoys the hell out of them but they csnt do anything about it. Ive left Thailand on yachts many times and have stamps in my passport to prove it.

[mark131v]

Bangkok is quite bad for it now, I have been asked quite a few times now with different airlines, check-in have asked for the Letter of Guarantee as well as the Seamans book and they have said in the past that if I didnt have it I wouldnt be flying, I have not asked recently as I always travel with them now but I reckon it could catch some people out....edit I was asked last time with Qatar but I have also been asked for the stuff by Thai and Kenyan as well

[jonnyscot]

Yes, nearly caught out on Friday night when I left,, the company forgot to send the certificate along with flight details and as I hadn't really been asked about it all that much, I thought I'd be fine with seamans book only, lucky that the office called just before I left about another issue and I mentioned it to them,, they had it sent just 30 mins before my leaving for bkk airport, lucky me, which is why I thought to post this question

[NanLaew]

I don't recall ever having used a seaman's fare ticket to/from Bangkok (all business class paid by client these says) so very interesting to read that the airlines need further documentary evidence if I need to slum it. I recall BA ticketing didn't allow air mile accrual on these special fares. Is that still the case? Other airline policies?

My only experience with being asked to see the Seaman's Card was when departing from West Africa and that was usually with Air France. Departing from the US and headed for say Ghana, we would need to show the airline a letter of guarantee from the ship's agent in Accra or Takoradi, stating they were responsible for getting me from airport and onto the ship.

Having said that, I had five marine crew denied boarding by BA from Seattle, headed for Douala. The check-in clerk AND the supervisor insisted they needed visas for Cameroun despite being on seaman's fares, all being able to present a seaman's card, all having the agent's letter, all having several entry/exit stamps from Cameroun in their passports and all having a large, single item of checked baggage which were obviously gearbox parts for their ship! I ended up calling the travel shop and get them swapped onto KLM for the following evening where their travel was eventually hassle-free.

[Soutpeel]

Doesnt a lot of this debate revolve around the issue of the letter of Guarantee, as these days a seamans book is relatively easy to get your hands on even if your not a seaman.

If your travelling on a one way ticket (which I assume a lot of guys are) to other countries other than your own an airline may not to let you on the flight, as if you get the other end and they will not let you in the country and its on the airlines cost to get you back to point of origin.

In the past a seamans book sufficed, but these days more and more airlines want letters of guarantee so the responsibility is shifted from them to the host company

I have travelled out of BKK many times on 1 way tickets to go various vessels for various reasons and have always been asked for a letter of guarantee from the host company at the airport, even to places like Singapore

[jonnyscot]

For the previous couple years I flew mostly emirates and had a residence card (1 year visa) for Nigeria, they only ever checked my passport for the visa and I showed the seamans book when requested and that was it,, as mentioned lately I've been using Qatar and they're insisting on this employer letter.

yes Nan still can accrue the air miles on a seamans, although my emirates gold card has died on me now,,, pity as I was averaging at least 1 free upgrade per return trip before the miles fell out after changing to Qatar

[starman_tom]

Does anybody know how many miles you get on Emirates seaman's ticket, vs. normal ticket in Eco class? My company tries to save money, so we're all on seaman's tickets from now... :-(

Thanks

[jonnyscot]

hi Tom, I assumed the same air miles were accrued on a seamans ticket as were on an economy,, but never really thought about it,,,,,,,

Regards from the H hole of africa

[Soutpeel]

Regards from the H hole of africa

Which one LOL...

[Payboy]

Regards from the H hole of africa

Which one LOL...

I guess it could be the one and only Nigeria.

[jonnyscot]

Got it in one there PB,, it ain't so bad once offshore although another piracy attack in our field last Monday a few days before I returned, a Brit capt taken from a small DP Barge

Oh The joys of the job

[Soutpeel]

Regards from the H hole of africa

Which one LOL...

I guess it could be the one and only Nigeria.

Ah my favourite place... ....the natives are so misunderstood there...

[jonnyscot]

Not so bad when you get a decent stint at home to recharge the batteries after working down this neck of the woods, but didn't quite work out that way last trip home, less than 2 weeks home after a 7 week stint doesn't quite cut it for me nowadays,,,, jeez talking like this after only 3 days into another 7 week trip ,,,,, I guess it's because I forgot to bring my hard drive of movies with me to watch when I'm on shift,,,,oops sorry I mean off shift

[Soutpeel]

guess it's because I forgot to bring my hard drive of movies with me to watch when I'm on shift,,,,oops sorry I mean off shift

Dont give the secrets away now... ....everyone thinks we work hard for our cash......

[jonnyscot]

Yes you're right,, certainly not much time left in the day after a hard 12 hour shift followed the nightly movie if not too knackered then a quick check of the latest news on the TV forum before dragging myself off and collapsing into bed,,,

[liddelljohn]

Got arrested at manila for turning up on a seamans tickets for a job with shell , as they had forgotten to send a LOI ,, a few phone calls cleared it up but never had a problem elsewhere .