17/08
Document Disaster
I want to tell you a little story about travel documents that happened this past weekend.
Two clients booked to travel to Cuba. One is Russian with a Canadian Permanent Resident Card, the other a Canadian with a Canadian passport. As per Cuban law, both are allowed entry without a visa (tourist visa required, but those are handed out on the aircraft).
About a week after booking, they realized her PR card was expired. Without this card, she would not be allowed to return to Canada. Now 3 weeks prior to departure, they scrambled to get the application for a renewed card.
2 days before their flight from Toronto to Varadero, the govt called and the card was being sent but would not arrive prior to departure. As per Canadian law, they could go to the embassy in Havana, and get authorization for return to Canada without the PR card, but this is allowed only once. So, they decided to go.
This is where things get interesting.
They arrive at the airport to check-in with Air Transat and they refuse her boarding. Why? According to Air Transat, she does not have the correct documentation to get back into Canada. As an airline, Air Transat would be fined and would be responsible to get the passenger back to Canada at their cost. So, they would not allow her to board, although she was allowed entry into Cuba with her Russian passport.
In my opinion, the representative from Air Transat was wrong in this scenario because the passenger had the correct documents to get into Cuba.
That being said, it proves that you MUST know exactly what is required to enter a country and always, always travel with a passport. In this scenario representatives from Canada, Cuba and Air Transat had to be appeased.
Too many Canadians (and Americans) travel without a passport and are asking for trouble when they do so.
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