Luxor4u

carrie wrote:Yes she did have a return ticket, with Egypt Air, but I was under the impression from Chris's post that the questioning occurred at Luxor arrivals. Perhaps they are flagging all those who don't have a return in the UK and then notifying immigration here in Luxor. She certainly wasn't asked any questions here in Luxor.

My impression was the questioning (Chris' post) took place at Heathrow

Apart from the practicalities, why would Egyptair (and it seems to be just Egyptair) allow someone to board a flight if they felt there was any possiblity of them being refused entry. It's the airline which would bear the consequences.

They are hardly likely to say to Luxor " Hey...have a close look at Mr/Mrs X traveling on a one-way ticket. He/she might not be entirely kosher"

I've yet to hear of anyone arriving in Egypt, and purchasing their $25 visa at the airport, being questioned as to how long they were staying, whether they had a return flight booked etc. etc. If your return ticket was in your hold luggage the immigration officer would have a hard time seeing it!

Surprising....considering all the other hoops we're asked to jump through nowadays

Chris wrote:Checked in at LHR ....

LHR = London Heathrow Airport

LXR = Luxor International Airport

OK miss read Chris's post but on checking further she wasn't asked at LHR either if she had a return flight booked. In fact she had said earlier that she was surprised by the lack of security checks in London.

I would have thought that it makes sense to buy a life long open return ticket, you may need one soon. The more you read and the more rules and regulations that come in and are not uniform across the Country the more people reading these articles will be put off from coming. not meaning just one media outlet, meaning them all!!! How can you trust the security and safety of a place that cannot run itself properly and lurches from one crisis to another, due to hair brain idea's and laws that insult the intelligence of most human beings.
I could not care two flying ants how many single women traveled to Egypt to find a husband maybe following a bitter break up or wanting to experience the culture of loosing cash hand over fist, or even for giving some teenager the thrill of his life. It used to make my life complete to watch them gallivanting around on motorised Zimmer's, showing off their catches. They may like the thought of having a renowned thief/cheat for a husband. What ever it is refusing entry to these women would end years of fun...

carrie wrote:OK miss read Chris's post but on checking further she wasn't asked at LHR either if she had a return flight booked. In fact she had said earlier that she was surprised by the lack of security checks in London.

Egyptair would aready know she didn't have a return flight with them.

Hence they checked that she was unlikely to be denied entry :

Checked in at LHR yesterday and was asked to produce proof of residency presumably because I did not have a return ticket!

Without any proof, and no evidence of a flight back to UK with another airline, she would, in all probability have been denied boarding.

It's long been the case that Egyptian immigration could deny entry to anyone they suspected might overstay their visa. In practice, they seem unwilling to investigate this possibility at the Egyptian end.....it would hardly speed the flow of tourists. So they have sought to put the onus on the incoming airline. Only Egyptair (and perhaps BA?) so far...airlines over which they have some control. I believe instructions were issued by the Egyptian authorities to Egyptair to make suitable enquiries of travelers to Egypt without a return. ticket

newcastle wrote:

carrie wrote:OK miss read Chris's post but on checking further she wasn't asked at LHR either if she had a return flight booked. In fact she had said earlier that she was surprised by the lack of security checks in London.

Egyptair would aready know she didn't have a return flight with them.

Hence they checked that she was unlikely to be denied entry :

Checked in at LHR yesterday and was asked to produce proof of residency presumably because I did not have a return ticket!

Without any proof, and no evidence of a flight back to UK with another airline, she would, in all probability have been denied boarding.

It's long been the case that Egyptian immigration could deny entry to anyone they suspected might overstay their visa. In practice, they seem unwilling to investigate this possibility at the Egyptian end.....it would hardly speed the flow of tourists. So they have sought to put the onus on the incoming airline. Only Egyptair (and perhaps BA?) so far...airlines over which they have some control. I believe instructions were issued by the Egyptian authorities to Egyptair to make suitable enquiries of travelers to Egypt without a return. ticket

[b']It's long been the case that Egyptian immigration could deny entry to anyone they suspected might overstay their visa.' [/b]

Isn't this the case for most countries? In actual fact, even having a visa does not grant an individual the right to enter a country and you can be turned away at immigration.
I understand the reason that airlines now have to be more careful who they carry, with respect to return or onward flights, is because the responsibility of transporting someone back to point of departure falls back on them and, I think that they may be liable to a fine too (but could be wrong about that).

HEPZIBAH wrote:
[b']It's long been the case that Egyptian immigration could deny entry to anyone they suspected might overstay their visa.' [/b]

Isn't this the case for most countries? In actual fact, even having a visa does not grant an individual the right to enter a country and you can be turned away at immigration.
I understand the reason that airlines now have to be more careful who they carry, with respect to return or onward flights, is because the responsibility of transporting someone back to point of departure falls back on them and, I think that they may be liable to a fine too (but could be wrong about that).

That's all correct.

It is the airline's responsibility, although they will seek to recover any costs in connection with the return flight from the passenger denied entry.

And yes, the airline may be fined if their carelessness or negligence contributed to the situation. The practice varies from country to country and very much depends on the individual circumstances.