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Airline Prevented Passenger From Boarding Flight Without Original Green Card

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  • 05-02-2012, 10:03 AM
    MrsF
    Airline Prevented Passenger From Boarding Flight Without Original Green Card
    Scenario -

    American Citizen wife arrives at Airport in Belize with her Legal Resident Alien Green Card Holding Italian husband. He has had his Legal Residency established since 1972.

    Upon check in - they realize he left HIS green card on the front hall table prior to departing for their honeymoon.

    What is the law that would allow - for example ONLY - United Airlines Ticket Agent/Check In Agent in Belize City to deny the husband boarding the plane?

    Per Houston CBP - For Example - Airline was wrong. Their CUSTOMER had Social Security Card, a COPY of his Green Card, US driver's license, proof of employment, library card, marriage license, etc. etc. He should not have been denied passage.

    He should have been allowed on the flight, Processed through Deferred Inspections at the Airport - and they would have fined/collected $520 from him and told him not to do it again.


    There is a break in the process system. I intend to follow up with the Consulate in Belize and the Airline we flew - but trying to understand why an employee of a service provider felt they had legal authority to act on CBP's behalf?
  • 05-02-2012, 10:58 AM
    flyingron
    Re: Airline Prevents U from Boarding Flight if You Left Your Original Green Card at H
    United is not OBLIGED to carry anybody, especially those with travel documents that will guarantee admission at the destination. If he lacked the proper documentation and was planning on alternate entry procedure, that needed to be worked out with United (someone other than a gate agent) well before they arrived for this flight.

    The break in the system is your wife didn't carry the legally required documents. The fact that CBP might have allowed her entry anyhow doesn't mean squat to a boarding clerk.
  • 05-02-2012, 11:27 AM
    Mr. Knowitall
    Re: Airline Prevents U from Boarding Flight if You Left Your Original Green Card at H
    Apparently the airline was not United - that's "for example ONLY". Why somebody would choose an airline at random rather than identifying the actual airline, I do not know.
  • 05-02-2012, 06:42 PM
    MrsF
    Re: Airline Prevents U from Boarding Flight if You Left Your Original Green Card at H
    It was my husband . . . . But thanks. I work for a major wireless carrier as lead contact for import export control and secretary of state functions. Spoke with my contacts at CBP and have received some excellent insight. Basically - this happens quite a bit.


    The real kicker - they wouldn't even let him purchase a ticket with an end point in Italy. He's a citizen there. We had the financial resources to manage the situation - but what if it's just a middle class couple? They don't have the fifteen hundred US three grand Belize to get out of the Banana Republic.

    It was United but TOS is pretty clear about not giving out info too personal to ones situation.
  • 05-02-2012, 09:56 PM
    davidmcbeth3
    Re: Airline Prevents U from Boarding Flight if You Left Your Original Green Card at H
    you are not talking about US law here ...
  • 05-03-2012, 04:57 AM
    flyingron
    Re: Airline Prevents U from Boarding Flight if You Left Your Original Green Card at H
    The fact he had a passport from some other country is IMMATERIAL. As a permanent resident, he MUST use those credentials to enter the US. He didn't have the credentials. The airline is not required, and in fact, ILL-ADVISED to admit him based on your assertion that the CBP was willing to bend the rules for him. As stated, you should have started working with the airline long before arriving at the airport.
  • 05-03-2012, 01:09 PM
    T53147
    Re: Airline Prevents U from Boarding Flight if You Left Your Original Green Card at H
    You and he are not so special that US immigration regulations should not be followed. Your arrogance at expecting to be treated as a vip is annoying to say the least. You should have planned your honeymoon stateside since you married someone irresponsible enough not to have his GC in his wallet.
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