Return ticket needed

strasser3133

New member
Nov 21, 2003
45
0
0
Three weeks ago I was in Detroit, when leaving to come back home, I tried to use the return half of my ticket to POP and was told by the AA agent that to enter the country (DR) as an American citzen I needed a return ticket. Therefore I had to buy one way refundable ticket (to Miami). This was a first for me, any similar experiences?
 

bochinche

Bronze
Jun 19, 2003
747
10
0
that's the same for every country in the world.
if you're not a citizen or if you don't have a residence visa, permit, etc., the airlines and the immigration dept. of the destination are supposed to make sure you have a return ticket.
if you arrive at your destination without a return ticket the imigration dep't. could well tell the airlines to take you back.

the only exceptions i can think of, is if you are travelling within some of these big economic communities like the european union. maybe you don't need a return ticket if you are a citizen of one of those countries included.

i wouldn't be allowed into the united states without some kind of departure ticket.
 

Eddy

Silver
Jan 1, 2002
3,668
219
0
No problem from Canada

bochinche said:
that's the same for every country in the world.
if you're not a citizen or if you don't have a residence visa, permit, etc., the airlines and the immigration dept. of the destination are supposed to make sure you have a return ticket.
if you arrive at your destination without a return ticket the imigration dep't. could well tell the airlines to take you back.

the only exceptions i can think of, is if you are travelling within some of these big economic communities like the european union. maybe you don't need a return ticket if you are a citizen of one of those countries included.

i wouldn't be allowed into the united states without some kind of departure ticket.
It's probably a USA thing.
 

ggn420

Brain Doner
Apr 21, 2005
534
0
0
I beleive it's an imigration thing

Eddy said:
It's probably a USA thing.
I beleive it's an imigration issue. The country you are arriving in is suppose to ask you to show your return ticket upon entry. In most cases they never do,(I have never been asked in the DR) Requirements vary, depending where you're leaving from, I beleive that Canadian laws require you to have a return upon departure, and in the states, although it is not required, most airlines(AA for sure) will try and tell you, you have to have a return, in fact it is not true. You can buy your return in the DR.
I have also noticed, and from others postings that where the ticket originates from seems to make a difference. While an AA agent in Miami might give you a hard time, one in New York might not.
Worst note senario would be that imigration would make you puchase a return on your entry.
 

sunshine_79

I made the 300,000th post!
Jun 1, 2005
684
0
0
45
strasser3133 said:
Three weeks ago I was in Detroit, when leaving to come back home, I tried to use the return half of my ticket to POP and was told by the AA agent that to enter the country (DR) as an American citzen I needed a return ticket. Therefore I had to buy one way refundable ticket (to Miami). This was a first for me, any similar experiences?



Nobody believes me but I still have my itinerary and confirmation for my e-ticket, etc, but I bought a one way ticket here back in June. Nobody asked me for any proof of return or anything like that. But now that I'm down here, I keep hearing all the buzz about the requirement to have a return ticket to the states.

I suggest that several universities begin offering graduate programs in airline regulation studies because it's getting to the point where it's so confusing that you need a degree to decipher all of the fine print, rules and the likes.
 

HOWMAR

Silver
Jan 28, 2004
2,624
2
0
If you got here with a one-way ticket is was simply due to an error by the airline check-in agent. The reason that the airlines require you fly with a return ticket is that they are subject to substantial fines if they present a passenger at a foreign destination and that passenger is denied entry by immigration and they have no return fare paid. In other threads I have read this can be as high as a $100,000 fine against the airline. Since no airline can guarantee your entry into a country (you may be black listed by immigration for many reasons) they make sure that your return is guaranteed.
 

THE GAME

New member
Jul 13, 2005
414
0
0
www.nydailynews.com
HOWMAR said:
If you got here with a one-way ticket is was simply due to an error by the airline check-in agent. The reason that the airlines require you fly with a return ticket is that they are subject to substantial fines if they present a passenger at a foreign destination and that passenger is denied entry by immigration and they have no return fare paid. In other threads I have read this can be as high as a $100,000 fine against the airline. Since no airline can guarantee your entry into a country (you may be black listed by immigration for many reasons) they make sure that your return is guaranteed.

i have flown from JFK NY to STI twice by buying one way
ticket from american and returning on jetblue (i already
had both ways paid before departing).... but neither airline
knew i was flying with the other.... before flying i called custom serv at jetblue to ask if i would have any problems... they only said to make sure i have proof of how i got to dr (a'a ticket stub)... but neither airline asked
for proof... i did this twice flying to santiago.
 

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
20,574
341
83
dr1.com
It depends if the country your flying to has a reciprocal visa waver program and also if your a resident or national.

If you fly into the DR as a tourist on a one-way ticket, you run the risk of being checked and sent back home.

If you can get away with it great, if you get caught, except it and take the pain that awaits you :)
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
3,604
113
I would like to know if anyone ever was sent back with a one-way ticket. I have never heard of it happening.
 

HOWMAR

Silver
Jan 28, 2004
2,624
2
0
SKY said:
I would like to know if anyone ever was sent back with a one-way ticket. I have never heard of it happening.
I know of one person who had to buy a return ticket (at full fare) before he was admitted to the DR. He was not going to be admitted so his choices were buy a return ticket for that day or an open return ticket. Either way he couldn't buy at a discount. He originally thought he would save about $100 by coming on a one way versus buying a round trip discount and trashing the return flight. Instead he had to pay $800 for a full fare return ticket to Miami on the spot to be admitted. He just happened to be the one who got caught.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
13,470
3,604
113
HOWMAR said:
I know of one person who had to buy a return ticket (at full fare) before he was admitted to the DR. He was not going to be admitted so his choices were buy a return ticket for that day or an open return ticket. Either way he couldn't buy at a discount. He originally thought he would save about $100 by coming on a one way versus buying a round trip discount and trashing the return flight. Instead he had to pay $800 for a full fare return ticket to Miami on the spot to be admitted. He just happened to be the one who got caught.

Did this purchase take place in the D.R. on arrival?
 

HOWMAR

Silver
Jan 28, 2004
2,624
2
0
SKY said:
Did this purchase take place in the D.R. on arrival?
Absolutly, he was at Dominican immigration, tourist card in hand. He was not going to be admitted. The airline station manager was summoned and arranged for a ticket to be issued. I guess he could have insisted that the airline return him home for no charge on the next flight as they were aware of the return ticket requirement, but he needed to be in the DR. The airline insisted if he wanted to stay, he pay.
 
Last edited:

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
20,574
341
83
dr1.com
The chances of you getting caught are slim. But... If you get caught they will make you pay, just like HOWMAR described above.

Another option is to buy a full fare ticket on your credit card and then cancel when you arrive in the DR for a refund. I'm sure the airlines give 100% refunds on full fare tickets.
 

La Profe_1

Moderator: Daily Headline News, Travel & Tourism
Oct 15, 2003
2,293
868
113
Once when I was flying back to the DR, American made me buy a full fare one-way ticket to Puerto Rico when I was at check-in (JFK). They assured me that since I had put it on a credit card, I could cancel it and get it refunded.

WRONG!

When I got to the DR, they refused to refund it and told me that it was good for a year and I needed to use its value toward another ticket if I did not actually take the flight.
 

rellosk

Silver
Mar 18, 2002
4,169
58
48
La Profe_1 said:
Once when I was flying back to the DR, American made me buy a full fare one-way ticket to Puerto Rico when I was at check-in (JFK). They assured me that since I had put it on a credit card, I could cancel it and get it refunded.

WRONG!

When I got to the DR, they refused to refund it and told me that it was good for a year and I needed to use its value toward another ticket if I did not actually take the flight.
Putting a ticket on a credit card doesn't make it qualify for a refund, it's the fare basis that does. If you purchase a full fare coach ticket (generally Y class on most airlines), it is always refundable. I suspect they sold you a discounted coach ticket, one that allows changes but non-refundable. Keep in mind sometimes the full fare coach ticket is more expensive than a discount first class ticket.
 

La Profe_1

Moderator: Daily Headline News, Travel & Tourism
Oct 15, 2003
2,293
868
113
It was a Y class ticket. When I finally cashed it in (after the date of the flight and without cancelling it), full value was allowed toward the ticket I was purchasing. I even tried having someone (my boss) talk to the Chief of Operations for AA at POP, but it was a no-go.
 
Last edited:

RHM

Doctor of Diplomacy
Sep 23, 2002
1,660
30
0
www.thecandidacy.com
La Profe_1 said:
It was a Y class ticket. When I finally cashed it it (after the date of the flight and without cancelling it), full value was allowed toward the ticket I was purchasing. I even tried having someone (my boss) talk to the Chief of Operations for AA at POP, but it was a no-go.

It happened to me 2 years ago. I walked down to the AA office on El Conde and showed them my employee contract and said that I was waiting for my Cedula. No questions asked. They cancelled the ticket. But it takes one or two billing cycles so you get stuck paying the APR on it.

Scandall