Recently, Indian travellers had to spend a night at a European airport when their connecting flight from the US to India was cancelled. So, what should a traveller expect these days?
Different countries follow different rules for passengers transiting through their airports. Take, for instance, the UK, which possibly has the most complicated visa system.
It requires passengers from some countries — including those from India transiting through its airports on connecting flights to Europe and the Caribbean — to have an Air Side Transit Visa (ASTV), which has to be issued in the country of origin. If a passenger comes under this category, he needs an ASTV irrespective of whether he is entering the UK or just connecting from one flight to another without leaving the airport.
The idea is to prevent asylum seekers from entering the country. You don’t need ASTV — or any other UK visa — if you are connecting to either the US or Canada through a British airport without a break in journey. This essentially means that you do not leave the airport between flights.
Put simply, if you are flying from, say, Delhi to Geneva or Madrid you will need an ASTV even if you are just changing flights, but you won’t need it if you are changing flights from any British airport to Chicago in America or Montreal or any city in Canada.
Schengen visa
Transiting through other European airports like those in France, Germany and other countries does not require you to get a Schengen visa if you are travelling onwards to the US or Canada or even flying to India.
But if your onward flight is cancelled or inordinately delayed then having a Schengen visa might help, because you will need it to spend the extra time.
While the rules are very specific — unless you have a Schengen visa you are not allowed entry into any of the 26 Schengen zone countries — travel agents say that it is for the border security personnel to take a compassionate view of the situation while deciding on who should be allowed to pass through, or be asked to wait at the airport for the next flight.
Travel agents point to countries in the Far and Middle East countries, which allow passengers to pass through visa and immigration control in case they are stuck due to a delayed or a cancelled flight.
This is at the discretion of the border control personnel; the passenger is generally allowed through only after he has surrendered his passport, which is, of course, returned when the passenger returns to board his flight. This generosity is not guaranteed. It is dependent on the goodwill of the person on the other side of the border control.
It’s up to the passenger
Probably the best way to understand the situation is to go to the website of the US Department of Transport (DoT).
In the section on Aviation Consumer Protection and Enforcement, it clearly states that airlines do not guarantee their schedules. You should realise this when planning your trip.
There are many things that can — and often do — make it difficult for flights to arrive on time. Some of these problems, including bad weather, air traffic delays and mechanical issues with the aircraft, are often beyond the airlines’ control.
Each airline has its own policies on what it will do for delayed passengers waiting at an airport. It would also be a good idea to read the fine print before you select an airline, particularly if you are flying at a time when the weather is likely to be unsuitable.
Contrary to what most people think, airlines are not required to compensate passengers whose flights are delayed or cancelled. Compensation is required by law only when a flyer is “bumped” off from a flight that is oversold by the airline.
DoT advises that if the purpose of your trip is immediate — like signing a business deal or giving a speech or a lecture at an already decided date and time — it would be a good idea to take an earlier flight, with some extra time in hand. In other words, airline delays and cancellations are not unusual and expecting the airlines to handle these issues is not going to help.
Flyers from North India need to keep these caveats in mind in the coming months, as fog and inclement weather often play havoc with flights flying from and to cities there.