www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I witnessed a guy that was a little drunk about boarding time. The pilot came up to him and told him that he thought the guy was drunk and might want to take a later flight .

The guy replied in a very calm voice that he always has a drink or two before flying and all he planned to do was take his seat and go to sleep. He promised that he would have NO trouble at all.

To my surprise the Pilot said , "Ok" and told the flight attendant to let him board.

***Note: This time my "friend" was not me.

It's a wonder that they let 1/2 of us on board(verdad)!

Srilm,
Excellent post, and right on the money. If anyone doesn't believe this, give the agent a hard time - and you'll see exactly what "rights" you have / don't have!

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

There is a thing called a Contract of Service. It is a federal regulation that applies to everything from buses, airlines, trains, even a taxicab. I have been in the transportation business longer than I care to admit. And this is what is drilled into you every year at every company that moves people from place to place.
1) You must provide service to ANY and EVERY orderly passenger. Federal law. You cannot refuse transport someone you think is suspicious if they have passed the proper established security screenings.
Now orderly is the key word. If you are argumentative, threatening, or appear to be under the influence of a substance, you are no longer an orderly passenger. See the picture?

2)Identifications-
The Federal folks really don't like untrained staff, like ticket agents, determining the validity of id's. It leads to alot of lawsuits, particularly from Latino and Arabic community activists.And if you refuse anyone not white as snow because of id, the upper management of the carrier will scream like no tomorrow. Average settlement cost is over 2 million per case. Carriers use the disclaimer that they check id's to the best of there ability and training, but they are not law enforcement nor are they required to act as law enforcement. They are not obligated to determine validity of federal documents i.e. passports, green cards, etc. That is the responsibility of the US government and its affiliates.Nor are they obligated to determine legal status.
There is some disclaimer like that on every ticket, bus pass, limo rental agreement, etc. issued in America.

Your ticket agent was obviously a newbie. Probably went to the Homeland Security lecture everybody with airport of federal facility access has to go to, yearly. The newbies take it too seriously. The vets like me always sit in the back and listen to the bs while consuming the free drinks and soaking up the ac.

Just an FYI for you folks.

As I said in my post above, the requirement to transport is sealed in Federal law. If you are abusing staff, they can call you a threat and refuse to provide service for that day, and that day only. If they start using words like banned, quietly leave and call your attorney. When the suit is settled you can retire in CR.Carrier permits for companies we all know well, like Southwest, United and Delta have all faced suspension for a history of actions like the above.All were temporarily suspended at least once in the last three years for this.Can still operate but the government has them on probation and is auditing everything.

MLV you are probably correct in all you are saying here......BUT as a matter of pragmatism the Houston agents are being difficult on passports starting last month....no doubt what you have written is the correct in the legal framework but from a practical point of view if you go through houston you need to be aware of this especially if you are not an elite access passenger and the plane is full and they are looking for excuses. I have a gut feeling if you started telling them about lawsuits suspensions and that only customs and immigration have those empowerments that would probably only antagonize the gate agent who works at a low wage and does not always make good decisions..
I think the best advice given so far is that if you get in it with the gate agent..... tell them that you already tried to get a new passport at the embassy and they told you it was just fine dont bother.

They cannot be fined. Determining the acceptability of a passport is what the fed. agencies call "operating out of the scope of responsibility".No government can force civilian private enterprise employees to be experts on passports or other documents. If it is present and not expired, the scope of responsibility is completed.My union also represents alot of airline employees. And no employee has ever been disciplined for staying in the scope.

I would second that. No point in rileing anyone up. If they were trying to get me for that on Continental, I would pull out my union steward badge. I know we represent the pilots and flight attendants. I think we represent the gate staff too. Just ask "are you in the union brother/sister?" I got a bump up on my last Continental flight from Houston to CR when the gate agent saw my union id. Gotta play every card these days.

That is hardly reality. There is no way you can make the case that a gate agent denying you boarding because your passport is bent will result in the Captain testifying in a resulting law suit will say "In the interest of safety" we refused passage because his passport was bent.

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

This made me worried and I just checked my passport and its not perfect, but was good enough for the KGB at midnight, so I wonderig something
1) how old was were friend? 2) how was he dressed Apperances can make a differance despite what we say. I am 52 but always dress nice when I travel and will be going in 30 days to SJ for some medical work then fun at SL on the Aug 29 to sept 2 and I hate to miss my medical work from a minor "thing"
Now thoughts 1) I believe that the passport is property of the American Goverment and 2) damage of Goverment property is a crime-- so if the passport was so damage that it was of no use ( bent corner) then who ever demaged the passport should be arrested and charged. be nice and ask them to call the cops to bust you, if you are not guilty of this crime then you must be a terroist. So call the cops now. I suspect if the Immagration are called they be a little pissed off at the airline the first time and by the third time they be having a serious talk to them.
But no matter what I suggest, as soon as the agent says "NO" do not agrue but suggest they call the Supervisor right away, so they can go back to checking the other persons> Then when sup. shows up smile stand stright and look them in the eye and ask very nicely to explain exactly why the passport is no good, ALL THE TIME, and this important watch your hands, upper body movments, lower clam voice, like one you use to a girl you want, never lean foword or move your hands ( open plams at all time) best for hands to behind your back. clench hand, leaning fowrded and lack of eye contact can be interpeted as aggressive, giving them any excuse, remember you will be on camera, to say you started it. ( this is from my job training in a type law enforcement). Then after a polite conservation and still " no" 1) try asking for captian of the plane to make a ruling or 2) ask them to call Visa people to arrest or confiscate your "illegel" passport or the heavy one 3) ask to see the Supervisor'S supervisor, higher up you go the less they want you to talk to you, and less the lower people want you to talk to them.
But this does give one incentative to be early. And to make one a little worried, but it also may be a newby trying to get browney point by " catching one of the 100 million terriost in this county and getting that big promotion.
sorry about any spelling/grammer errrrrros - but those two things are not one of my many and various skills, but I do not see spell ck here.
Now time for every one to tear this post apart, I stay around but I am already late for a couple over at my friends bar.

But this is kind of a important thing.

new here, but not new to the woman of the world and soon the woman of SJ again