Big ESTA Problem

[Big Dog]

Originally Posted by catlady

:

I know that Heather but if you read the OP's post Thomson were less than helpful when it was an obvious error affecting their flights into Sanford. They did nothing to help or alert other passenger's that could be affected on those flights during that period. I was just thinking aloud given the comments from others about it not being about a British company etc.

Happy New Year

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It's not Thomsons problem, the same way it's not Thomsons problem if your passport is out of date or you have inadequate insurance.

Bottom line, your Esta, your responsibility regardless of who makes errors etc

[Big Dog]

Originally Posted by NMark

BBC1, 9th January 2015, 11.30am.
Rip of Britain Team will be looking at the extraordinary event that grounded a family. (Us). Link to my original posting.
http://DIBB.in/9136748:

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Thanks for posting what I'm sure will be a programme we'd all like to see

[Goodisoner]

Originally Posted by NMark

BBC1, 9th January 2015, 11.30am.
Rip of Britain Team will be looking at the extraordinary event that grounded a family. (Us). Link to my original posting.
http://DIBB.in/9136748:

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Looking forward to it, just about to set the Sky+

[Guest]

Will watch this tomorrow.

[kaboomba]

watching you just now!

[Goodisoner]

Well in Mark, glad you got something out of it. didn't realise your avatar was an actual picture though

[BucksBugsy]

I've just watched this and in my opinion it raises an interesting dilemma. The (very sad) facts about this problem is it only seems to affect travellers into a certain airport (only Sanford?) within a specific few days. If you are one of those people who were affected by this then that is little consolation L(

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but I guess if there is a lesson to be learnt from this it would be to be sure your travel documents including your ESTA are valid before booking a flight. I believe this is recommended practise but if you have previously been authorized for an ESTA there is no reason to think you won't be successful on your next application

Sadly I have to agree this is not the travel companies fault - it is the responsibility of the individuals (or guardians in the case of minors) travelling to ensure their documentation is valid at the time of booking. One of the issues this can cause is that it can reduce the period of validity of the ESTA following departure back in the UK which can be seen as a waste of money.

I must stress the family affected has my deepest sympathy for the problems caused through the programming error but (at the risk of being extremely unpopular on my first post!) I can only repeat it is down to travellers to make sure their documentation is valid.

[PPM]

Just watched that, well I can't see much "Rip off Britain" in it at all. Nobody was "Ripped Off" as far as the programme shows just some unfortunate circumstances.

I feel that Thomson came out of it very well in the presentation by the BBC as they offered flights when the error seemed to be nothing to do with them. What the programme does show is the importance of having your ESTA in place before you book anything to the US. (assuming that you are a British Citizen of course).

Perhaps the OP can now move on and get some more holidays booked.

[vhm672]

Originally Posted by BerkshireBugsy

I've just watched this and in my opinion it raises an interesting dilemma. The (very sad) facts about this problem is it only seems to affect travellers into a certain airport (only Sanford?) within a specific few days. If you are one of those people who were affected by this then that is little consolation L(

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but I guess if there is a lesson to be learnt from this it would be to be sure your travel documents including your ESTA are valid before booking a flight. I believe this is recommended practise but if you have previously been authorized for an ESTA there is no reason to think you won't be successful on your next application

Sadly I have to agree this is not the travel companies fault - it is the responsibility of the individuals (or guardians in the case of minors) travelling to ensure their documentation is valid at the time of booking. One of the issues this can cause is that it can reduce the period of validity of the ESTA following departure back in the UK which can be seen as a waste of money.

I must stress the family affected has my deepest sympathy for the problems caused through the programming error but (at the risk of being extremely unpopular on my first post!) I can only repeat it is down to travellers to make sure their documentation is valid.

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Welcome to the DIBB and in no way should this make you unpopular.

Whilst it is every travellers duty to make sure they hold the correct paperwork it should also be noted that if you have had an ESTA before and you qualify for an ESTA then I think you are entitled to book your holiday without censure about holding the documentation.

There are procedures in place to allow people who believe they have wrongly been denied an ESTA to have their cases reconsidered which should ensure that anyone entitled to an ESTA can obtain one.

The fact of the matter here is that the error at Sandford denied the OP and those in the same position to avail themselves of the ESTA process in its entirety (including the redress process I refer to above). As this is effectively negligence relating to the system error the OP should have had a means of redress as the issue was entirely outside their control.

[Yorkshire_Dan]

I'm not travelling until September but after reading this I'll be applying for my ESTA this weekend!