And now a word from the Consulate General of Brazil …

Posted by: Scott    Tags:  ,     Posted date:  February 18, 2014  |  2 Comments


It occurs to me that when I complained about the way we were treated last Sunday by employees of TAM Airlines as we were boarding—or trying to board—a plane out of Santiago, I only offered my personal interpretation of the rules. But there’s to need to just take my word for it. Here’s what the Consulate General of Brazil in Washington has to say:

NOTE: There is no need for a visa if the traveler arrives in Brazil on a flight, remains in the international transit area, without passing through immigration control, and departs on another flight from the same airport.

Which is what I explained to TAM a week ago today when I emailed the customer service department about how their employees wouldn’t (until after much wailing and gnashing of teeth on our part) let us board a flight to Sao Paulo—where we would not enter Brazil but merely wait to board our continuing flight to Charlotte—for want of a visa.

A week later, here’s where we stand …

It will be interesting to hear why the TAM gate agents had a different opinion of visa requirements than the Consulate General of Brazil.

Any bets on how long it’ll be before TAM’s investigation is finalized and we get an explanation?





2 Comments for And now a word from the Consulate General of Brazil …


ckd

Did TAM not bother to check TIMATIC? I just looked, and it specifically says that Chile-Brazil-US itineraries for US passport holders allow transit without visa (TWOV) as long as they have confirmed onward tickets (as you did) and are staying in the airside part of the airport (as you would be).

Airline agents are supposed to use it for checking visa/passport requirements; that’s why IATA *created* TIMATIC.

    Scott

    You’d think that’s the first thing they’d have done. But … no. Which is why I will do my best to avoid TAM in the future. I was not at all pleased with the resolution (of lack thereof) of this.