To whom it may concern,
I had a flight booked with Emirates Airline for today, Sun, 19th June at 18h10 (Booking Ref no J6G7Y2 Surname=BAATJES, CPT-DUBAI, DUBAI-LONDON, GATWICK, GATWICK-DUBLIN) and was refused to board the flight, as I was told by the lady checking me in that I needed a transit visa. After I had already checked-in online the previous night and got an emailed boarding pass. The staff does'nt seem to be trained efficiently, if the check-in lady at the e-ticket counter on the far left, had to call 3 people and finally asked a supervisor lady who asked me who I had spoken to at Emirates CTICC, I could not remember the lady's name who told me that if one is at London airport for less than 24 hours, one does not need a transit or visitors visa. She, the supervisor lady at Cpt Int then told me that their Airline could be penalized and the check-in lady fined R10 000.00, which she does'nt even earn and asked me whether Ive ever been detained by British Immigration and I said no and she said that they are not very friendly!
I have been greatly inconvienced, wasting time, money and I have meetings to attend in Dublin and need to get there ASAP and will know tomorrow whether I probably have to pay in extra, which by the way they could'nt tell me there. I called reservations and ticketing office they only open Mon-Fri 08h30-16h30-www.emirates.com 086 136 4728, so if anyone needs help on Saturdays and Sundays, there's nothing we can do!
Called Emirates, CTICC, 021 403 1100 and they open Mon-Fri 08h30-16h30 and Sat 08h30-12Noon! Closed on Sundays!
I checked the UK Border Agency website and it says that A South African Citizen is exempt from a transit visa, if you have a confirmed ticket out of London, to your destination, as long it is less than 24 hours, mine was only probably 3 hours and only changing aircrafts!
http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/doineedvisa/visadatvnationals
"All visa nationals wishing to transit the UK but spend longer doing so than the 24 hours permitted under the TWOV concession must obtain a visitor in transit visa for stays up to 48 hours or a visit visa."
http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/doineedvisa/visadatvnationals
"arrive and leave by air within 24 hours and have no intention of staying in the UK (you can travel by rail or road between two airports);
and
have a confirmed onward booking that will leave within 24 hours of your arrival in the UK.
You must also have the documents you need:
to enter the country you are travelling to; and
for any other country that you may pass through on your journey."
My onward flight was confirmed and the proof copied and pasted from Emirates website:
"Flight Depart / Arrive Time Airport Terminal Duration / Stops Class / Aircraft Booking Status
EI243 Depart
Mon 20 Jun 11 14:40 London Gatwick Airport (LGW) SOUTH 01 hr 20 min
0 Stops Economy
Airbus A320 Confirmed
Arrive
Mon 20 Jun 11 16:00 Dublin Airport (DUB) 2"
PLEASE HELP ASAP!!
MALIKAH BAATJES
Director
Skyprincess International Casting Agency
Mobile SA : 2772 382 9316
Email: [email protected]
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