Onward flight tickets when returning to the boat

[Petronella]

Over the past eight years we must have flown back to the boat around 20 times from countries as far apart as Turkey and the Caribbean. There has never been a problem....until today.

Checking in with Caribbean Airlines at Fort Lauderdale to return to Grenada via Trinidad we were told we must have an onward flight ticket from Grenada as we were not resident there. No ticket, no travel.

We asked to speak to the airlines supervisor who explained that if one of their passengers arrives in a country and cannot convince immigration that they wouldn't overstay their welcome then the airline will be fined.

We explained we had done this loads of times without a problem. Eventually the supervisor asked if we had our boat registration papers with us. We didn't but by chance we did have our recently renewed insurance document with us. We showed this and we were eventually allowed to board the plane. Without it I think there was a good chance we would have had to buy additional tickets out of Grenada in order to fly.

From now on we will be keeping a copy of the boat registration paper on our iPad to show to airlines if we get into the same situation again. In addition looking at our passports we have remembered that many countries have written out boatname across our entry stamp. Showing these entries might also have helped in this situation.

 

[BobnLesley]

...supervisor asked if we had our boat registration papers with us...

We've never had a problem, but on three occasions now have been asked to produce our boat docs to confirm the position. When we travel now we carry not just Registration/Insurance Docs, but some documentation - preferably a recent invoice or receipt - from the marina or yard that we're returning to.

 

[john_q]

...supervisor asked if we had our boat registration papers with us...

We've never had a problem, but on three occasions now have been asked to produce our boat docs to confirm the position. When we travel now we carry not just Registration/Insurance Docs, but some documentation - preferably a recent invoice or receipt - from the marina or yard that we're returning to.

+1

Fort Lauderdale/Spirit seems to be particularly bad at doing this.

We have found the key words are "Get/ring your Supervisor' and "We live there here is the (boat) paperwork, go and take a Xerox of it" works.

Trying to explain the real situation is like talking to a blank wall

 

[TQA]

I always provide crew joining by air on a single ticket with a letter stating that I will be responsible for their onward passage and copies of my cruising permit.

If travelling myself and returning to the boat with no onward air ticket i always carry copies of boat documentation and current cruising permit or at least my inward clearance.

The island that is most troublesome is Trinidad. Their requirements are byzantine and baffling. They also change from time to time. It is worth contacting YSATT http://www.ysatt.org/ for advice. They can also help if you are at anchor as the requirements assume that you are in a yard or a marina.

 

[Bajansailor]

Re " Their requirements are byzantine and baffling" - TQA was being very polite here. Trinis are Masters at the art of complex officialdom.