1. The passenger does not have a passport or other necessary documents
This happens: a person carefully puts a passport, medical or sanitary certificates and other documents into a folder, file or wallet… And then leaves them on the table.
Fortunately, a plane ticket can be issued electronically and does not need to be printed. But when registering, you must show exactly the document whose data is included in the ticket. Phone photos or scans will not work.
It will not be possible to present, for example, a driver’s license instead of a passport. In this case, the foreign passport will also not be accepted.
But if to report If you inform the carrier about changing the document in advance, before registration begins, problems can be avoided. You should check with the airline about how long you need to do this.
Children under 14 years of age must have a birth certificate. If a child goes abroad alone, then he necessary notarized consent of parents or guardians to leave.
If you are transporting pets or plants, you may need veterinary or health documents. If they are not there, you will have to either hand over the pet or cargo to the mourners, or abandon the flight.
2. The traveler has a passport, but it is not in order
This is also a fairly common problem: a person will soon turn 25 or 45 years old – the time when it is necessary to issue a new general passport. But he goes on a trip before his birthday and returns after it. And his passport turns out to be expired.
Most airlines, especially those operating international flights, may simply not check a passenger into a flight on the grounds that their document is invalid. This circumstance should be taken into account in advance, at the stage of planning the trip.
Other possible ID problems:
- The passport does not contain the passenger’s signature.
- Document pages are torn or heavily soiled.
- There are extraneous marks or entries in the passport.
- The data in the passport and ticket do not match. For example, during registration there was a typo, and the name on the travel document is written slightly differently than on the identity card.
It is better to check all these details in advance so as not to get an unpleasant surprise when checking in for your flight.
3. The passenger was late for check-in or boarding
Registration is usually ends 40 minutes before departure, landing – 20 minutes. If there is a risk that your carrier has different rules, you need to find out in advance.
A passenger who is late for check-in has a chance to board the flight if the airline gives the go-ahead. But it often happens that a traveler who has already passed all types of security checks and entered the boarding waiting area lingers somewhere in a cafe.
Or I’m too carried away by the movie I’m watching on my smartphone. And he doesn’t hear announcements about the end of boarding.
You can often hear at airports: “Passenger A***, who checked in for flight 1***, board immediately!” The airline often tries to find an inattentive traveler, through whose fault the flight may be delayed. But carriers are not obliged to remind everyone about the departure time, so be careful and follow the announcements and board instructions. Otherwise, you risk not getting on the flight, and when you realize it, it may be too late.
4. There are no empty seats left in the cabin – an overbooking situation has arisen
Unfortunately, sometimes airlines sell more tickets than seats on the plane. Sometimes such a situation may arise due to a technical error or due to the replacement of an airliner with another aircraft of lesser capacity. Therefore, it is worth arriving at the beginning, and not at the end of registration, or completing this procedure online. But if you are already at the airport and they tell you that there is not a single free seat left on your plane, then you will not get on board.
Yes, the airline is obliged to issue the passenger a ticket for another flight. Or return money for a ticket. Even if it was issued at a non-refundable rate, because the cancellation of the trip turned out to be forced and was not the fault of the passenger.
If a traveler has to spend more than four hours at the airport waiting for a new flight due to a carrier error, the airline must provide he gets a hot meal. And parents with children under 7 years old have a place in the mother and child room. If the plane needs to wait more than 8 hours, the traveler has the right to demand a place in a hotel. But all this is just compensation for the fact that he could not fly on his flight.
5. Passenger’s hand luggage does not comply with airline standards
Each air carrier has the right to set its own standards for hand luggage: its weight and dimensions. Typically, a passenger has the right to take on a plane a bag or backpack weighing at least 5 kg. Moreover, he Maybe have with you a handbag or briefcase with documents, a bouquet of flowers, a suit in a travel case, baby food, medicines, crutches. Bags from duty-free stores are also allowed.
If the dimensions of hand luggage exceed the dimensions established by the carrier, the company may require an additional fee. A passenger who refuses to pay may be denied entry on board.
It is important to remember that each airline has a list of prohibited items. For example, they can be a baseball bat and a billiard cue, a fishing rod, a fire extinguisher, or liquid in a container with a volume of more than 100 ml. Some carriers do not allow e-cigarettes or printer cartridges into the cabin.
The list of prohibited items should be studied in advance. If a passenger has something unauthorized in his hand luggage and refuses to leave the item at the airport, he may not be allowed into the departure hall.
6. Traveler – unaccompanied child under 12 years of age
Children from two to twelve years old can fly and unaccompanied by adults. But this must be reported in advance – then the child will be under the control of the air carrier. Parents must write an application at least two hours before departure, or better yet, even earlier.
A child under two years old always flies with one of the parents for free. But it requires a separate ticket. You can apply for it directly at the airport by presenting your birth certificate. If you do not do this, you will be denied flight.
7. The passenger urgently requires medical attention
Everything is simple here. If a passenger’s condition requires immediate medical attention, he may not be allowed on the plane. Most likely, they will try to provide him with medical assistance before departure, and if the arriving ambulance team deems it necessary, they will send the passenger to the hospital.
Travelers with mild symptoms of illness should not worry – as a rule, they are allowed on board without problems.
Some airlines check in late-term pregnant women only after presenting a doctor’s certificate authorizing the flight. Without such a document, the air carrier may not allow you to board. For how long you need to stock up on such a certificate and what it should look like, you should check with the airline in advance.
8. The person behaves inappropriately and aggressively
If a passenger arrives at check-in under the influence of alcohol or drugs, they may be considered a danger to other travelers. Especially if he behaves aggressively and provokes conflict.
It happens that such passengers check in, but begin to behave inappropriately right before boarding. Or already in the cabin of the plane before departure. In such cases, the crew commander can remove the traveler from the flight. He’s the one answers for the safety of the flight, and all participants in the flight are required to comply with his orders. If the captain of the aircraft decides that one of the passengers threatens the safety of the others, he can send the brawler back to the airport and call the police.
Moreover, the violator may not only lose the opportunity to fly away. To him threatens administrative liability – from a fine to arrest for fifteen days.
9. Passenger is a debtor with a temporary restriction on leaving the country
If a passenger is a debtor and the court has ordered him to pay an amount exceeding 10,000 rubles, he may fall under temporary ban to travel abroad. Such restrictions are imposed if the court has set a period for the person to voluntarily repay all obligations and two months have passed since the end of this period.
It happens that a traveler remembers about his debts, but forgets to check whether he is subject to a temporary travel restriction. In this case, an unpleasant surprise may await him: he will not be checked in for a foreign flight.
Let’s summarize: on the eve of departure, it is worth checking whether you have all the necessary documents, whether your hand luggage meets the carrier’s requirements and whether there are any restrictions on your departure. If everything is in order, there will most likely be no problems at the airport.
Getting ready to fly together ✈️
