One way flight from USA to Rome this Oct, booked flights but was warned entry in country likely denied

[4774Papa]

I just booked flights for my wife and self from Georgia (USA) to Rome this October,  16 days prior to our transatlantic cruise that returns us to the USA.  We have plans to tour Umbria and Rome for those days.  

After I booked the flights (on Delta) a screen came up that required me to fill in information on passport issue and expiry date, birthday, how many days in the country, etc.   After I filled in the information, I was advised that entry in the country was likely to be denied.

I am wondering if this is likely because currently COVID19 policy Italy is not open to Americans?  Or is this related to buying a oneway ticket, or both?

I used skymiles for the trip, so I can likely easily cancel and get miles back if necessary, but expect the EU policy on entry for vaccinated persons will change by Summer.

[CruiserBruce]

Italy is proposing to open up for vaccinated tourists as soon as June 1.

[Xanthe]

Uk is going to allow citizens to visit  Green light countries ,  this summer. but Italy and Spain not on the list  yet....the kissing tradition in both countries is a Covid spreader and centuries of tradition hard to break.

We are booked on the Transatlantic  in  Oct and still hopeful .

[Zach1213]

I assume it's because there isn't a firm rule in place yet about EU letting in vaccinated Americans. We know it's likely to happen, and the EU knows it's likely to happen, and Delta knows it's likely to happen...but it's not official as far as I know, so with that in mind, what Delta's system is telling you is likely true...based on what we know now. Come October, unless things drastically change, you're likely to have no problem showing up at the Italian border fully vaccinated and being let in...based on what we know now 🙂

[hallasm]

It might also be an immigration issue due to the one-way ticket.  Immigration officials can deny you entry to a country for all sorts of different reasons. If that were to happen, the airline would be liable for flying you back to your point of origin. Airlines don’t want that!
Once you get to the check-in desk you might be asked about return ticket or proof of onward travel like your cruise. I have done several cruises with one-way airline tickets where I have had the same type of warning when booking my one-way ticket.

Edited May 5, 2021 by hallasm

[scottbee]

1 hour ago, 4774Papa said:

I just booked flights for my wife and self from Georgia (USA) to Rome this October,  16 days prior to our transatlantic cruise that returns us to the USA.  We have plans to tour Umbria and Rome for those days.  

After I booked the flights (on Delta) a screen came up that required me to fill in information on passport issue and expiry date, birthday, how many days in the country, etc.   After I filled in the information, I was advised that entry in the country was likely to be denied.

I am wondering if this is likely because currently COVID19 policy Italy is not open to Americans?  Or is this related to buying a oneway ticket, or both?

I used skymiles for the trip, so I can likely easily cancel and get miles back if necessary, but expect the EU policy on entry for vaccinated persons will change by Summer.

 

Also ensure you have 180 days of validity on your passport for when you enter.  A lot of countries will not allow entry if your passport is set to expire with 180 days of your entry (they don't want you in the country with an expired passport)

 

[4774Papa]

44 minutes ago, hallasm said:

It might also be an immigration issue due to the one-way ticket.  Immigration officials can deny you entry to a country for all sorts of different reasons. If that were to happen, the airline would be liable for flying you back to your point of origin. Airlines don’t want that!
Once you get to the check-in desk you might be asked about return ticket or proof of onward travel like your cruise. I have done several cruises with one-way airline tickets where I have had the same type of warning when booking my one-way ticket.

That is what I thought, since my sense was that the one way may have been important, however, we had done oneway flights in the past few years, including 2019, one way to Peru and then on to Chile for a cruise that ended in San Diego, then a one way to Sydney and a transpacific cruise to Seattle in 2018 and a oneway to London and cruise from Southampton to Miami in 2017.  I remember being asked on the Australia trip, but not on the South America or Uk trip.

 

Also, yes, our passports are good for about five more years.

[FlyerTalker]

Just about all international flights now being sold have some kind of disclaimer about possible denial of entry.  IMO, it's the airline covering its butt -- so you can't later say you weren't warned about immigration issues.

[Zach1213]

1 hour ago, hallasm said:

It might also be an immigration issue due to the one-way ticket.  Immigration officials can deny you entry to a country for all sorts of different reasons. If that were to happen, the airline would be liable for flying you back to your point of origin. Airlines don’t want that!
Once you get to the check-in desk you might be asked about return ticket or proof of onward travel like your cruise. I have done several cruises with one-way airline tickets where I have had the same type of warning when booking my one-way ticket.

 

I do one-way international tickets regularly. I have weird travel habits for work (for example, I'll fly US to South America not knowing if I am coming home or having to go on to another place after a few days, and our clients are willing to pay for last-minute one-way tickets). I never have anything flagged at booking, so that's what leads me to believe it's a Covid thing. Yes, ticketing agents at check-in AND immigration folks at arrival regularly ask for proof I am leaving - super common even when I present my US passport (and pretty much mandatory when I present my Namibian passport!). 

 

Even with roundtrip tickets, it's common for immigration to ask for proof of departure upon arrival, since they don't have instant access to the ticketing info like the check-in agents do. That can be done by showing your outbound ticket (air, train, whatever) that leaves the country/common immigration area. 

Edited May 5, 2021 by Zach1213