Cebu Best Posts in Thread: Refusal of check in for a flight from Cebu to Hong Kong

Each country has its own rules and requirements about the validity of a passport when entering that country.
So when I want to visit a country, first thing what I do if my passport meet the requirements of Immigration to make sure I can enter and not being refused. For Dutch citizens, like me, going back to your home country there is no need a passport is valid for 6 months or what's ever. The passport should be valid, that's it. And of course when the validity is less than 6 months or more entering a country is not possible.
Stupid Cebu Pacific is an air carrier without any knowledge about international passengers in transit and their passports.
Nevertheless I was able to fly back home, as both Cathay Pacific and Aeroflot know exactly what are the rules and requirements so not even one single question or remark about my passport.

 

Yes, my comment was so readers wouldn't mistakenly extrapolate HK rules to every country as that would be a mistake. For example I know a Filipina that needed a US transit visa to fly from Singapore to Mexico with a couple hour layover in the US.

 

It is all about the country you are flying into. Some countries don't care if you stay in the secure side of the airport, other countries require a transit visa to do that. Always check in advance.

 

You are right when travelling around all the time from one country to another country to have a passport which always has a validity of 6 months or more. In my situation not important as I permanently stayed in the PH until the moment I went back to my home country for renewal.
It's completely ridiculous that an air carrier operating international flights is not aware of passport regulations for their passengers.
Shame again on Cebu Pacific..................!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

This is very good informative information. Particularly for those of us with Tourist Visas doing "BI Exit/return runs" every three years. Remember not to get caught with a passport about to expire within 6 months because your short trip could end up being a six month vacation in a foreign country
.
The US in suggesting renewing your passport 6 months early now before it expires. A somewhat simple task in Cebu Consulate.

 

Hmmmmmm so can we take it you will have a new passport when you return in MAY?
I ask only, that if you do not have the Minimum of 30 days on this Passport for HK now and If you Don't have a new Passport to come Back in On in May, you won't be coming in as it is a Minimum of 6 months validity After your intended stay for Entry to the PI
It is a weird one I know but I have been caught out at departure Airports before on the Expiry date of my Passport.

Just Hope it all gets Sorted .

 

On Saturday, April 9, last I had a flight reservation for a Cebu Pacific flight from Cebu to Hong Kong.
In Hong Kong I had a flight reservation for a connecting flight to my final destination i.c. my home country in Europe.
On that Saturday I arrived @the check in desk around 5am, so in time to catch the HKG flight with a departure of 6:15am.
I could not believe my own ears when I was told they (Cebu Pacific) will not check me in for their flight.
Reason my passport has not the minimum validity of 30 days that is required for HKG.
I start to explain to the Cebu Pacific check in desk employee, I was not entering Hong Kong but only a transit passenger who will stay within the airport terminal on the air side to go to the transfer desk where I should check in for my connecting flight, get a boarding card and then just wait for boarding. So going through Immigration was completely irrelevant.
Secondly I told them when I fly back to my home country, the validity of my passport has no minimum requirement of a number of days, as long as it is still valid.
Second argumentation of Cebu Pacific for their refusal, we have no transit facilities there sir.
What the f*ck, I don't need transit facilities, I have only one piece of carry on luggage, so after arrival of your flight @the gate I will walk on my own two feet to the transit desk for check in of my connecting flight.
This discussion went on for more than 45 min. I stayed calm, but inside I was almost exploding for so many stupidity of airlines staff @a check in counter of an international airport. They have no idea what is the meaning of a transit passenger.
No matter how many times I repeat the situation, they just refuse me, even after calling Manilla.
So I went to the ticket office of Philipines Airlines in the airport building and buy me another ticket for a flight to Hong Kong operated by Cathay Pacifiv and of course upon check in I was not refused coz Cathay Pacificknows exactly the rules with respect to transit passengers.
What to do when I will be back in the PH next month May?
Start complaining again on Cebu airport @the check in counter, showing my boarding pass to HKG for the Cathay Pacific flight and the 2 boarding passes for my connecting flights from HKG to Europe.
Or better go to the city office of Cebu Pacific in the Robinson Mall @Fuente Osmena.
Or go straigh to a lawyer to sue Cebu Pacific. After all the new one way ticket I was forced to buy cost me another 22000 peso. So I want Cebu Pacific to refund me that amount because they a have couple of idiots working @their check in desk who has not the vainest idea of rules about international travelling by air.
Any advice or maybe other members who did face this problem as well will be very welcome.
One thing is loud and clear the lack of competent staff member and adequate knowledge about intentional rules for transit passengers. working within Cebu Pacific.

 

Hong Kong is a country where Immigrations is not interested whether an airline passenger in transit has a passport with a validity of less than 30 days, what is only relevant when entering the country. So it really does not matter on which flight you will arrive @HKG international airport. As long as you stay on the air side waiting there for your connecting flight to final destination, no problem .....except for Cebu Pacific of course. Only in the PH more fun.

 

Rules and commonsense don't necessarily mix. I was booking an award flight with American Airline miles. Because they can be hard to get I booked once the date opened up for the outbound, but not the return flight since the date wasn't open yet. When I booked the return flight they made me purchase the ticket at the Manila ticket office because it is a Philippine law for tickets originating in the Philippines, so they can get some kind of travel tax out of you. This is a pain in the butt. I obviously wasn't booking a ticket out of the Philippines, but a round trip ticket since I already had ticket to the Philippines. That said the purchase appeared as two one way tickets. I don't know what the right answer is, but I can certainly see how a ticket that terminates in HK, could be looked at the way they did. There are other things like inter airline agreements that may allow larger carriers to know there is another ticket. They will even issue each other tickets and transfer the baggage. Ex231, was your wife traveling on Cebu Pacific? Cebu Pacific may not participate in such agreements. Sorry to hear you got screwed, so did I and no amount of commonsense was going to get the travel tax back for me. Good luck.

 

My wife and I did just that last May with no problems. Six weeks ago she flew by herself from SFO - NRT (tokyo) and got a connecting flight to MNL also with no problems.