New immigration law: passengers to bear burden

WHEN new immigration
regulations come into
effect on October 1,
it will be the responsibility
of passengers to ensure
they have the correct
documentation or risk being
denied boarding. But this is
where travel agents can show
their expertise and add value
to their clients, say industry
authorities.
SA Minister of Home Affairs,
Malusi Gigaba, recently stated
that regulations under the
new Immigration Act requiring
families travelling with children
to produce an unabridged
birth certificate would not be
scrapped.
Although airlines will do
everything to keep passengers
informed, ultimately it will be
passengers’ responsibility to
know what is required, says
Simon Newton-Smith, Virgin
Atlantic’s head of Middle East
and Africa. He says it’s not
feasible for airlines to issue
prompt messages online with
every booking. Regulations for
different countries change on
a regular basis, often with little
notice to airlines. If the airline
prompts a message with the
wrong information, it will be
held liable. However, he says
airlines will continue to issue
communications to the travel
trade.
The confusion around the
Act presents an opportunity for
travel agents to add value to
their clients, says Asata ceo,
Otto de Vries. “The regulations
and communication thereof
are another example of where
travel agents can equip
themselves with knowledge
and show their customers
they’re not only aware of
the situation, but are also
proactively working on behalf
of the client.”
Mladen Lukic, gm of Travel
Counsellors, agrees, saying
the new regulations will
demonstrate the value of the
travel agent to the general
public. He adds, however,
that clients have seen travel
agents as advisers instead
of mere booking agents for
quite some time now. He says
travel agents need to continue
to explain to their clients how
they’re adding value and what
they can offer them that the
Internet can’t.
But although travel agents
can prove their worth by raising
awareness about the new
regulations, they can’t apply for
the necessary documentation
on behalf of their clients,
which can be a challenge,
says Mladen. “Clients are
looking to us to make things
happen but this is where our
hands are tied.” He says the
DHA has not been as efficient
as they promised they would
be, which has created certain
complications for clients that
the travel agent can’t solve.
Claude Vankeirsbilck,
chief sales and marketing
officer for Tourvest Travel
Services, says the company
has communicated the
implications of the new
regulations to both corporate
and leisure customers using
communication channels such
as newsletters and through
online social media.
June Crawford, Barsa ceo,
says: “Airlines have already
added the requirements on
their websites to assist in
the facilitation of the DHA’s
requirements.” She says travel
agents can also access info
through Iata Timatic, a global
instrument, to verify travel
documentation requirements
for contributing countries.
Asata is compiling a list of
FAQs based on questions sent
through by its members, which
will be released soon, says
Otto.