one way air tickets

[emnick]

I think I may need some help with this.

We have left the boat in St Lucia and came home for Christmas. We are due to fly back out with Condor (Part of Thompsons I am told).

When we booked the one way ticket we didn't realise there might be a problem entering the country with just a single ticket. When we went back to Grenada via St Lucia last October BA made us alter our return ticket so it was less than 42 days stay, saying that the airline is responsible for making sure you don't overstay. We had onward tickets to Grenada but this didn't matter they would not check us in unless we altered the ticket.

We are due to fly back out on the 11th Jan, and I am told that I must have proof of an onward/ return journey, We shall be leaving within a week or so but I can't prove it.

Have anybody been in this situation? if so what did you do. Thanks for any help

 

[MoodySabre]

No help at all Sean except to say that I hope Living the Dream is going well for you and Pauline. Very well deserved.

 

[emnick]

No help at all Sean except to say that I hope Living the Dream is going well for you and Pauline. Very well deserved.

Hi Roger, All going really well thanks! we are very lucky. We do miss the east coast though, it has a real charm

 

[lusitano]

I think I may need some help with this.

We have left the boat in St Lucia and came home for Christmas. We are due to fly back out with Condor (Part of Thompsons I am told).

When we booked the one way ticket we didn't realise there might be a problem entering the country with just a single ticket. When we went back to Grenada via St Lucia last October BA made us alter our return ticket so it was less than 42 days stay, saying that the airline is responsible for making sure you don't overstay. We had onward tickets to Grenada but this didn't matter they would not check us in unless we altered the ticket.

We are due to fly back out on the 11th Jan, and I am told that I must have proof of an onward/ return journey, We shall be leaving within a week or so but I can't prove it.

Have anybody been in this situation? if so what did you do. Thanks for any help

 

[lusitano]

In similar situations in the past, we have made up a document, stating to whom it may concern, that the individuals concerned are entering the country, in order to join a vessel which will be leaving said country by a certain date. Try to make the document look as official as possible , with as many rubber stamps as you can muster !
The document should be signed by the Captain or the Owner of the vessel, and the signature notorised if possible,along with a copy of the ships papers
Always worked for us

 

[DownWest]

Some years ago, I drove back to the UK, then flew home to Portugal, so a one way ticket. BA gave me a load of grief as they had some sort of agreement with the Portuguese authorities that only passengers with return flights were accepted. I pointed out that I have lived there for many years and was a bona fida resident. Except I didn't have my card on me...It only got resolved when I slightly senior person turned up and saw the logic. We boarded the plane with quite a few looks from the other passengers, so I said something about visa hiccups and apologised. They looked happy enough.

 

[AndrewB]

Plenty of people join ocean-going yachts in St Lucia, so immigration there should be quite used to it. A copy of your British yacht registration and the marina bill showing the yacht is in St Lucia should suffice. Can't say I've done it in St Lucia myself, but that has worked for me in many other countries. However in some, like USA, you do need a visa to enter without a return ticket.

I've never heard of an airline objecting to someone travelling without a return ticket, well not until DownWest's posting, although they will if you don't have a necessary visa for your destination (e.g. Australia).

 

[Ric]

You need a seaman's ticket. You need to find a specialised travel agent (Google is your friend). I previously used Rinck travel in Antibes, but I think they have disappeared now. By presenting any sort of seaman's qualification (even RYA quals) they could organise you a one way air ticket, and often no visa would be required. The tickets were always much cheaper than you could get elsewhere too.

 

[Ric]

I just googled them - seems they are still trading:

http://www.yachtinsidersguide.com/listing/rinck-travel-arrangements

 

[25931]

Some years ago, I drove back to the UK, then flew home to Portugal, so a one way ticket. BA gave me a load of grief as they had some sort of agreement with the Portuguese authorities that only passengers with return flights were accepted. I pointed out that I have lived there for many years and was a bona fida resident. Except I didn't have my card on me...It only got resolved when I slightly senior person turned up and saw the logic. We boarded the plane with quite a few looks from the other passengers, so I said something about visa hiccups and apologised. They looked happy enough.

Antes de 25 de abril ?

 

[john_q]

This happens quite often. We have come across this issue a few times (mainly in the US returning to Central America) and have heard of other cruisers having to buy a return ticket

It is the airlines at the airport you are leaving who are the problem not the authorities as the airlines would have to pay for the return flight if there is a problem at the other end.

Trying simple logic and/or trying to explain the situation to the airline clerk never seems to work.

We carry our ship’s papers and other documentation that are given you when your boat enters the country that you are travelling to. When questioned we say “We live in XXXX and here are the papers to prove it, and then tell them to go and speak to their supervisor”

They take a photo copy of the paperwork and say OK. This approach has even worked in Miami and Fort Lauderdale!!

A letter from the captain of the vessel you are joining, as suggested above, should work along with copies of the ships documentation

Or, as others have said, get a seaman’s card

Good luck

 

[DownWest]

Antes de 25 de abril ?

No, it was in the 80s. I moved there in 75, but had visited before ( couple of weeks after 25 de abril). Think I was the victim of a junior inexperienced check in girl. Though quite why they had one way restrictions escapes me. I did flash my bank card and pointed out that I could only have one if I was resident. That got her to refere to higher authority, which worked.

 

[Robin]

Lateral thinking. When we left the UK for the USA, we bought return tickets with return set at 6 months. The price was actually lower than one-way tickets.We didn't pay for upgraded premium economy seats on the return part and simply let the tickets( Virgin Atlantic) lapse. No comebacks.

 

[25931]

No, it was in the 80s. I moved there in 75, but had visited before ( couple of weeks after 25 de abril). Think I was the victim of a junior inexperienced check in girl. Though quite why they had one way restrictions escapes me. I did flash my bank card and pointed out that I could only have one if I was resident. That got her to refere to higher authority, which worked.

I remember having problems in the early 80s with cheap flights because they were only available with accommodation, were two way and were not transferable. There were no visa requirements.

 

[TQA]

This is a common problem. In most islands in the Eastern Caribbean. The airline and the immigration authorities are happy to accept a simple letter from the skipper saying they will be responsible for the onward passage of the person as they will be joining the boat. make it look as official as you can and include details of any current cruising permit.

Trinidad is the one island that has a more complex procedure and it is worth contacting YSATT ysatt.com/ to check on the latest wrinkle in the procedures. Allow plenty of time for this as you may be faxing docs back and forwards and immigration have to give prior approval and they can take their time.

 

[colind3782]

In the late 70s and 80s when I used to go to the States for the winter with no intention to return any time soon, it was always cheaper to get a return, two week, ticket and not use the return. When answering the question on the I94 about where we were staying, we would just put "touring". This was all pre 9/11 so may be trickier now. One way tickets always raise a red flag to immigration.

 

[kalanka]

Two years ago I had a one way Condor flight booked from Frankfurt to Antigua to rejoin my boat after a three month lay up.

At check in I was bluntly told that a one way flight was not permitted by the Antigua authorities and I then had a difficult hour persuading them to let me fly. Fortunately I had a copy of all of the extensive clearance documentation from Antigua with the boat name and my name as captain. Eventually they checked me in but I felt that I had been in a very vulnerable position and entirely at the mercy of a whim of the check in staff.

No issues at all on arrival at Antigua but they too needed to see my boat clearance and immigration papers.

My advice is to arrive at check in very early with all the paperwork you can marshal to support your case. St Lucia officials are generally more laid back than Antigua.

 

[AndrewB]

Trinidad is the one island that has a more complex procedure and it is worth contacting YSATT ysatt.com/ to check on the latest wrinkle in the procedures. Allow plenty of time for this as you may be faxing docs back and forwards and immigration have to give prior approval and they can take their time.

This surprises me as I've twice joined a yacht in Trinidad as well as picked up crew in Tobago, without undue hassle and no advance notice. The only unusual thing was that on arrival at Piarco airport I was given a 24 hour immigration and customs clearance and had to report again in that time to immigration and customs at Chaguramas to get the normal six months allowed. The first time I didn't realise this: when I left Trinidad a month later I was fined TT$50 - about £6.

Of course, things may have changed.

 

[TQA]

This surprises me as I've twice joined a yacht in Trinidad as well as picked up crew in Tobago, without undue hassle and no advance notice. The only unusual thing was that on arrival at Piarco airport I was given a 24 hour immigration and customs clearance and had to report again in that time to immigration and customs at Chaguramas to get the normal six months allowed. The first time I didn't realise this: when I left Trinidad a month later I was fined TT$50 - about £6.

Of course, things may have changed.

This was the procedure the last time I had crew join in Trinidad about 4 years ago.

A specific form was required to be completed in triplicate.
It had to be stamped by the marina or boatyard used by the boat. Ysatt can be used as an alternative stamp.
Full details of crew passport number flight number and expected date of departure.
Completed forms presented to immigration who OK the details and stamp the form. Allow a week!
One copy of form goes to the crew flying in. NB Many airlines will not allow a traveller to fly into Trini on a one way ticket without this form. People have been held at the airport and deported the next day if they arrive without the form on a one way ticket.
YSATT and Jesse James of 'Members Only' Maxi Taxi Service can sometimes help with the formalities and deal with immigration.
I would ALWAYS check with Ysatt before starting this process.

 

[AndrewB]

YSATT and Jesse James of 'Members Only' Maxi Taxi Service can sometimes help with the formalities and deal with immigration.
I would ALWAYS check with Ysatt before starting this process.

I would also recommend Jesse James who is particularly helpful in sorting out yachtie problems.