Not allowed to board a flight

<p>I want to voice my dissatisfaction with your staff at OR Tambo International Airport yesterday.</p> <p> </p> <p>We are Botswana citizens and my son (21 years of age) was invited by a friend to a visit in UK. My son checked with the UK Embassy in person here in Gaborone if he needs a visa, I called them and we also checked the UK Gov website on more than one occasion which all came up with the same answer – A BOTSWANA CITIZEN DOES NOT NEED A VISA IF VISITING THE UK FOR A PERIOD OF UP TO 6 MONTHS. A ticket was bought for my son to depart yesterday from OR Tambo Airport. He was booked on Emirates Flight EK762 to depart at 13.25</p> <p> </p> <p>He went to the counter to check in but was stopped by ACSA staff where they are checking for valid tickets and visas before proceeding to the Emirates check-in counter. They started questioning him when they did not see a visa – starting to insist that he needs a visa for visiting the UK. The more he explained that he does not he was told he has to get one. They then called someone – they said it is a Customs officer – who also said he needs a visa. He spoke to the attendants at the Emirates ticket counter and they also said that they do not understand why ACSA staff is insisting on a visa because the also agree that a VISA is not needed. My son came back to the departure lounge and I called the UK Embassy in Pretoria who referred me to the helpline in Cape Town. I called them and was told that they charge for advising me over the phone – P450!!!</p> <p> </p> <p>I spent more than 12 minutes on the phone – roaming charges on my cell phone – and after explaining everything to him, he also said that he does not understood why ACSA staff is insisting on a VISA. He emailed me the same thing that I checked on line that says no VISA is required. I went with my son and was stopped at the same spot. They called the lady that was previously helping my son and the more we explained the more they refused. They proceeded to make more calls to the same person even though they complained we are making them using up all their air time – they kept talking to this person where we cannot hear what is said. I asked for the person’s name and contacts so that I can talk to him myself and they refused. I even gave them my phone saying they can dial the number so that I can talk – again it was refused. This time we were told that the person on the line said he needs a clearance visa and that we need to do an online application. The two young ladies that was there at the counter the second time was talking to each other and one said that she cannot understand this person being blocked from entering as she also knows that a Motswana does not need a visa - being from Botswana we could understand what they were saying</p> <p> </p> <p>In the end my son missed the check-in and flight. We decided to leave to go to the Embassy in Pretoria to get things in writing regarding his position with a VISA. This caused serious anguish and unhappiness for us as a family as well as great expenses – fuel, overnight accommodation, parking charges, phone calls, the charge from the helpline and the cancellation of his ticket!!!</p> <p> </p> <p>A family friend was returning to the UK at 8pm last night. She re-booked a ticket for my son on Air France with her because we know he does not need a visa. This meant we had to go back to the airport at 5pm which meant more parking fees.</p> <p> </p> <p>HE WENT TO THE CHECK IN COUNTER – SHOWED THEM EXACTLY THE SAME DOCUMENTS AS THAT MORNING AND WAS CHECKED IN WITHIN 5 MINUTES!!!!!!! NO VISA REQUIRED!!!!!!!!</p> <p> </p> <p>I feel the treatment we received from ACSA staff in the morning was wrong. The same documents allowed him to board another flight – so what is the difference?? Why was he not allowed to proceed in the morning??? Why would they not let us talk to the “customs” person??????? Why did they only talked away from us so that we cannot hear what is being said???????? Why did they not want to share the contact information so that I can talk to the person myself??????????? More than one source confirmed that we were correct and that he must be allowed to board, yet he was not even allowed to go to the actual check in counter!!!!!!!!!!</p> <p> </p> <p>It was a costly trip there with the fuel, accommodation, phone charges, parking fees, cancellation fees – if we even going to get a refund!!, re-issue of a second ticket and I am not even talking about the emotional upset it caused!!!!! We were also delayed in returning and only left after 7pm resulting in us only arriving just before 11pm back at the border – travelling in the dark and rain but we had no choice as we had to be back at work this morning.</p>