Flight legal requirements

[iluvsangeorge]

Sorry folks if this is general knowledge but it was new to me.
There is now a requirement to give advance details of passport information to the flight company BEFORE turning up at the airport or you might not be allowed to fly. Some friends had to pay £30 each recently with BMI baby for not doing it.

So just check out your ticket details. On my Thomas Cook email confirmation it is called 'Reconfirm your flight'. When I followed the instructions I had to give full passport information and dates of birth for both persons.

Dennis

[TONYNEW]

Hi Dennis we sent our API over the internet but had a bit of trouble as there are 2 numbers with Thomson as they use 2 numbers
1- Your booking reference, which is no good to send your API but to use for any payments you make or alterations to your holiday
2- Your booking reference number, found at the bottom of the confirmation Email which is the 1 you require to forward your API
Heres an example of the confirmation email with the place your booking reference number is


Important Information 
This email confirm that you have agreed to our Terms and Conditions
**Important API Requirements - All passengers must comply**
Airlines are now required to provide passenger details to government authorities in advance of travel for the purpose of border control. This includes information contained within your passport. For passengers travelling to the US, you will be required to provide your first night address.

You must provide this data between 6 months and 24 hours prior to your departure by visiting http://eapi.thomson.co.uk quoting booking reference number [1234567]. Customers travelling within 4 days of booking will be unable to use the online facility, so will therefore be required to provide the necessary information upon check-in at the airport.

Failure to provide this information may result in you being unable to travel.

Get more information on API

Hope this makes sense
        Tony

[justphil]

Supposed to be against terrorism. But once in the hands of civil servants, you pay £30  to get on. Oh yes. I've got a bomb round my waist but I won't pay £30. £40. £100. £1,000. But after you pay your £30 you're on. Bit like speed cameras...

Jen just used the term. "Horribly sick-making." I could hear our adorable Erja saying the same. You're no safer but a bit poorer....

[TONYNEW]

To be honest Phil i have a gut feeling that's why Thomson use 2 different reference numbers where one would be sufficient and its in small print at the bottom of the Confirmation Email ,
an easy way to make £30 i bet if you booked by telephone they wouldn't mention it either
So folks the onus is on you save your self £30 each at the airport,make sure your API Advance Passenger Information is sorted before you fly
                         Tony

[Ang]

Phil I totally agree no one is any safer from this check but coffers get fuller,which is something this counrty is very good at doing behind the closed door.
Ang

[kevin.g]

your so right ang
but ive had to do it again on our 2nd flight booked through e/j...put all our passport details onto there site..hope its well secure...yammas

[Erja]

Jen just used the term. "Horribly sick-making." I could hear our adorable Erja saying the same. You're no safer but a bit poorer....

You heard me correct Phil dearest! *shaking my head*

So if you do it in advance on the internet or over the phone you avoid these silly payments and they just have keep on siphoning our taxes  with some pretext to cover "the fight against terrorism".

[justphil]

Ooh you've got me started Ang and Tony. Nothing much is being done to make our air travel any safer. It is all about those who are responsible, trying to cover their backs, saying they had no evidence, even when they did after hundreds have died.

Meanwhile they take money from the 99.9% of us who live where we do, struggling to survive. All that money to be spent on their salaries and bonuses. Those who pretend to be rich and just live life at the edge like Jen and me have to post on this forum.

Oh dear, just join me in the Nut to be bored witless. I am good at that! At least you have the choice then....

Phil

[heatherberriman]

hi everyone,have just been reading this post and am now worried.we fly to arillas in five weeks and have never heard about this api.we have booked with thomson and no one told us we have to do this,do you recommend we forward this information? any advise would be very welcome.

[TONYNEW]

i would Heather did you book online if so the info you need is in the Confirmation Email if not i suggest you ring Thomson,now there we have another way of extracting cash from you calls charged at 5p per minute
Tony

[heatherberriman]

thank you so much have also informed my daughter who flys with them in three weeks and shes just had a fit.we will both be sorting this out asp.i think its disgusting that people are not informed about this.but as you say anything to get more out of us.again thank you to this forum for helping me out.

[riggers]

Thanks for that, i'm off to thomsons in the morning.......

[heatherberriman]

JUST BEEN ON THOMSONS AND SORTED MY API OUT,CANT THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THIS NOTICE. HOPE WE CAN NOW RELAX AND LOOK FORWARD TO BEING IN ARILLAS AGAIN,MAYBE MEETING SOME OF YOU GREAT PEOPLE.

[ger]

i knew you had to do this before travelling to spain, but not greece! does it apply to package holidays or just flights?
ger x

[justphil]

Oh forum. So cynical and so correct. Quoting Eggy, Goodonyer. Trust nobody....

Most of my true Greek friends are thinking "but not me!!!" And they are all right. Except one. Tina luvver, we know which one I mean and so does he...... See you in Marina in 2010?

Phil