This is just a bit of a rant, but just about to head off on an around the world trip (I’ll be MIA for about 7 weeks) and once again am getting caught up in a universal inability of airlines to be able to record multiple nationalities and passports linked to a ticket.
Many frequent flyer accounts accept multiples but when it comes to flights advanced check-in fails if the passport linked to the flight record doesn’t have all the requisite visas even though between the multiple passports and nationalities none are needed. Not a big problem at the airport but it adds unnecessary angst to the process as well as necessitating earlier counter check-in. It does depend on the countries you will pass through, but the US and Australia are two of the ‘irritants’.
As example, a US citizen must enter and exit the US on a US passport so that becomes the only reasonable passport to enter when going to or through the US. If one is also Australian that US passport will not have or need a re-entry visa/ETA so the verification systems flag a visa problem when one tries to check-in. One can get the Full Monty of questions at the origin, and sometimes for each leg requiring check-in.
With the number of us having multiple nationalities on the rise it seems they could do better, especially when the airlines are pushing advanced check-ins and countries are pretending to have security through requiring ETAs or visas from foreign nationals/non-residents.
Another case of technology and processes not yet following along the sales pitch (of advanced check-in)…
Hopefully the 5 or 6 Ps (depending on which you ascribe to) will make the result much more pleasant
I have some friends near us who are US expats who when they travel there to the US have had let us say unpleasant interactions on entry to the US so much so that one of them will no longer go back there. In that case the partner now travels alone to that destination when it is needful, I guess a cost saving in some ways. We keep hearing about how travel is getting easier, cheaper but these examples do not raise my expectations any amount that it has become “easier”.
I travelled to the East Coast of the U.S. this time last year, @PhilT, on my Au passport with e visa and, of course, found it very easy,
except for the long queues at the LAX customs on my way to Washington.
Amazing scenery from the West to the East coast, and I was lucky enough to be sitting on the plane next to a US citizen who pointed out many of the interesting spots we were flying over, including the Grand Canyon.
It’s a country of great natural beauty and very friendly people.
I wish you safe and happy Travelling.
God guard and keep you and yours.
I am sure the travel while on a single passport could be very easy as you experienced. @PhilT faces the problem of having at least 2 different countries passports. In this case the US require entry to their country by the US document and will not accept the Au one for that entry. This is the problem my friend faced as they did not have the US passport as they had not renewed it and were only travelling on their Au documentation. After several hours of “interrogation” they were told to get the US passport renewed and never to travel there again without it. The agents then entered my friend to the US as a US citizen and on return to Au was again queried by Au border forces as to their travel history…described as a very painful experience.
@PhilT,
I’ll no longer be quite so quick to envy some of my ex work mates who seemed to have a different passport to suit each destination, and skip the que.
Thanks for sharing.
Hope the trip is memorable for all the right reasons.
I suspect that there are a number of other passport types not catered for as well, such as diplomatic passports. In many countries it is also not possible to have dual citizenship as well, so the IATA standard booking system may consider that of most travellers.
