[Sim084]

I was supposed to fly with Condor from Innsbruck to San Jose (Costa Rica) via Frankfurt on October 3rd 2010. I had a return ticket with the same airline on January 20th 2011; the law in Costa Rica requires that you must have a ticket out of the country at the time of entry.

I flew from Innsbruck to Frankfurt with no problems but in Frankfurt, after check in, at the gate, I was denied boarding. They said that not only do I have to have a ticket out of Costa Rica but that ticket must be within 90 days.

I pleaded, I argued, I asked them to tell me which law says that. Nothing worked. They were quick to give my seat to someone else and I was left in the airport at midnight to spend the night there with no support whatsoever from the airline. The next day I was given (for a fee of 80 EUR) a stand-by ticket for October 5th (3 days later!). I had to take a train back to Innsbruck and again back to Frankfurt on the 6th with no guarantees that I would have a seat on that flight. I also had to change my return flight to fit their demands of 90 days (I paid another 60 EUR).

By chance, I did make it to Costa Rica on the 6th and proceeded to check whether the law really requires the onward ticket to be within 90 days. Surprise, surprise, it makes no mention whatsoever of this. I had, in fact, complied with all the requirements, but Condor had probably sold more tickets than it had seats.

Four other people were denied boarding that day and I was the only one who chose the stand-by option. However, the next flight, on the 6th of October, was full, despite the fact that five other people had been denied boarding. This can only mean that extra tickets were sold.

I sent Condor a complaint, quoting the Costa Rican regulations, and asking for a refund of my extra costs and compensation according to EU Regulation 261/2004. I asked them that, if they think they were right, they should tell me which Costa Rican regulation the decision was based upon. I got a brief reply three weeks later saying that they are not responsible for what happened to me. Nothing else.

I made a complaint, following the EU procedures, with the German authority about two months ago and still no reply from them either. To be honest, I think the authorities are hand in hand with the airlines, so passengers are just left with complaining on online forums.

I hope this helps someone make the right decision about which airline to take. Oh, btw, Condor belongs to Lufthansa, which is a founding member of Star Alliance, just in case anyone is wondering.

[azstar]

You don't state your nationality, but if you're Austrian, unless you have a visa issued by the Costa Rica government you must have a ticket to leave within 90 days. It's the same for U.S. Citizens.

The information is clearly stated here:http://www.costarica.com/trip-planni...a-information/

Towards the bottom it defaults to "Tourist", then you select your nationality from the drop-down list.

[jimworcs]

Looks pretty clear cut. You were wrong!

[Sim084]

Thank you for the link Azstar, but it only confirms what I was saying. There needs to be a ticket out of Costa Rica and I can only stay there for 90 days without a visa. HOWEVER, within those 90 days, if I leave and come back after 72 hours (say, by land to Nicaragua or Panama etc.), I am entitled to another 90 days. Not in the link you gave and and not anywhere does it say that the onward ticket must be within 90 days.

[The_Judge]

Originally Posted by Sim084

Thank you for the link Azstar, but it only confirms what I was saying. There needs to be a ticket out of Costa Rica and I can only stay there for 90 days without a visa. HOWEVER, within those 90 days, if I leave and come back after 72 hours (say, by land to Nicaragua or Panama etc.), I am entitled to another 90 days. Not in the link you gave and and not anywhere does it say that the onward ticket must be within 90 days.

Very easy to locate this information. It took me mere seconds to do so.

http://www.therealcostarica.com/trav..._rica.html#PPE

This was only the first site I clicked on. I'm very sure there are more that have the same correct info.

I don't want to sound like I'm being condescending but the traveler MUST be aware of entry/exit requirements or situations like yours arise.

[Sim084]

Please re-read my original post. The is NOTHING in the law that says when the date of my ticket out of Costa Rica must be. Especially because once I'm there I can either apply for an extension of the visa or leave and return. I agree, passengers must inform themselves, which I did, and it's why I bought a return ticket in the first place.

Anyway, we can continue this endlessly if my point is not understood...

[The_Judge]

I thought this should be easy to understand. I'll try again. If, when you are checking in to fly to a destination and you don't have a visa, your ticket MUST have a return date or you must hold an onward ticket with a date that is within the entry limits of the country you are arriving in.

For example, if I fly to Thailand holding a U.S. passport with no visa, I am allowed to stay 30 days. I must hold a ticket leaving Thailand within that 30 day period.

If I hold a Tourist Visa valid for 60 days, I must have a ticket leaving within 60 days.

It's pretty simple but you seem to be making more out of this than there is.

[Sim084]

I think I am making exactly what it is out of it. You are making statements that are not backed by the law. One basic principle of law is that anything that is not explicitly forbidden, is allowed. Translated here: if this 90 days time for an onwards ticket is not explicitly stated in the law, then it does not exist. It's as simple as that.

[The_Judge]

Okay. Good luck with that. btw.......have we met before?

[The_Judge]

Again, you don't say what your nationality is but with this link, you can change it. I used Austrian for you as you say you departed from Innsbruck.

These are the entry requirements into Costa Rica and as you can plainly see, you are required to have onward tickets. If you're saying that because it doesn't say the tickets have to be within the validity of the visa that it's ok to not have it, it also doesn't say you can't kill someone when you're there but you still can't do that.

http://www.timaticweb.com/cgi-bin/ti...&subuser=PEARL

It is inferred that you have valid tickets and documents for your next destination within the validity of your visa length.

[jimworcs]

I think the point is this. Many countries operate rules which allow them to fine airlines who bring in people who have no legitimate right of entry or are in breach of visa regulations. Therefore, the airline itself may impose conditions of carriage which stipulate that passengers meet visa requirements on entry, even if the rules permit, as in this case, the traveller to "bypass" the regulations. I think there is little chance this complaint would succeed, but it s frustrating when you knw it can be done legitimately, but the airline s unwilling to take the risk

[victoria stiles]

Originally Posted by Sim084

I was supposed to fly with Condor from Innsbruck to San Jose (Costa Rica) via Frankfurt on October 3rd 2010. I had a return ticket with the same airline on January 20th 2011; the law in Costa Rica requires that you must have a ticket out of the country at the time of entry.

I flew from Innsbruck to Frankfurt with no problems but in Frankfurt, after check in, at the gate, I was denied boarding. They said that not only do I have to have a ticket out of Costa Rica but that ticket must be within 90 days.

I pleaded, I argued, I asked them to tell me which law says that. Nothing worked. They were quick to give my seat to someone else and I was left in the airport at midnight to spend the night there with no support whatsoever from the airline. The next day I was given (for a fee of 80 EUR) a stand-by ticket for October 5th (3 days later!). I had to take a train back to Innsbruck and again back to Frankfurt on the 6th with no guarantees that I would have a seat on that flight. I also had to change my return flight to fit their demands of 90 days (I paid another 60 EUR).

By chance, I did make it to Costa Rica on the 6th and proceeded to check whether the law really requires the onward ticket to be within 90 days. Surprise, surprise, it makes no mention whatsoever of this. I had, in fact, complied with all the requirements, but Condor had probably sold more tickets than it had seats.

Four other people were denied boarding that day and I was the only one who chose the stand-by option. However, the next flight, on the 6th of October, was full, despite the fact that five other people had been denied boarding. This can only mean that extra tickets were sold.

I sent Condor a complaint, quoting the Costa Rican regulations, and asking for a refund of my extra costs and compensation according to EU Regulation 261/2004. I asked them that, if they think they were right, they should tell me which Costa Rican regulation the decision was based upon. I got a brief reply three weeks later saying that they are not responsible for what happened to me. Nothing else.

I made a complaint, following the EU procedures, with the German authority about two months ago and still no reply from them either. To be honest, I think the authorities are hand in hand with the airlines, so passengers are just left with complaining on online forums.

I hope this helps someone make the right decision about which airline to take. Oh, btw, Condor belongs to Lufthansa, which is a founding member of Star Alliance, just in case anyone is wondering.

Thanks for this informative post. It will be really helpful for those who do not know about it.