Travellers arriving at Denpasar Airport are reporting that Indonesian officials are now enforcing a $US5000 fine on airlines if they carry passengers with damaged passports, while the passengers are sent home.
If you’re heading to Bali, make sure your dog doesn’t chew your passport.
Travellers arriving at Denpasar Airport are reporting that Indonesian officials are now enforcing a $US5000 fine on airlines if they carry passengers with damaged passports, while the passengers are sent home.
This follows an incident in November when a British couple were denied entry to Bali because one passport was slightly chewed by their dog. The couple had already passed through UK and Singapore airports without a problem.
Batik Air is reported by the West Australian newspaper to have been fined several times for allowing passengers on their flights between Perth and Bali to board with a damaged passport.
An AirAsia spokeswoman confirmed the tighter enforcement, saying the “airline continues to comply with the current advice from Indonesia’s immigration authority”.
“Passengers are responsible for ensuring they have the correct documentation for travel and that there are no signs of damage, especially to the ID pages and biometric chip,” she said.
“To prevent issues from occurring, guests are advised to check their passport and documentation is in good condition before they travel.”