Travel Document Rejected at Check-in (Permanent Resident)

[Rodica 0]

Hello,

I need

[Rodica 0]

Hello,

I hope someone can help with some advice in my situation. I am a permanent resident and a citizen of Moldova with an expired passport. Moldovan embassy advised me to get a Travel Document to travel home. A few days ago however, while attempting to check-in at the airport my travel document has been rejected. The lady from Continental Airlines told me that the travel document I have can be used only by children under age 15. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at the airport said the same thing, that the travel document is only for children. Now, I contacted Moldovan embassy and the consul argues that the travel document they issued is usable by all Moldovan citizens, regardless of age and immigration status. The consul also said that Moldovan citizens travel with travel documents all the time and that only the airport (XNA in Northwest Arkansas) where I was trying to check-in wouldn't accept it. Now, my questions are: if a travel document is indeed a valid document for international travel, why aren't TSA and the airlines aware of it? Whom can I contact to find out whether a travel document can be used or not for an international travel by permanent residents?

I would greatly appreciate a quick response as I am still hoping to use my travel document to go home,

Thank you

[Anh map 2,098]

Being an LPR isn't the issue here. It is the temporary travel document that you were issued.

How does the embassy know that it is only the NW Arkansas airport that doesn't know what they are being presented? Did you ask the person from Continental that refused you where it stated that it was for a minor child? And did you get clarification on that point from the consular staff person from the Moldovan embassy?

Could the person at the embassy be mistaken? Could you have been issued the wrong document?

You are asking why a TSA staffer is not familiar with a temporary Moldovan document? Temporary passports/travel documents are not items that gate agents commonly see. And the instance of Moldovan documents are likely rare. So you may have to do some work to be able to verify the validity of the document.

[Rodica 0]

Being an LPR isn't the issue here. It is the temporary travel document that you were issued.

How does the embassy know that it is only the NW Arkansas airport that doesn't know what they are being presented? Did you ask the person from Continental that refused you where it stated that it was for a minor child? And did you get clarification on that point from the consular staff person from the Moldovan embassy?

Could the person at the embassy be mistaken? Could you have been issued the wrong document?

Anh, thank you for your response. The Moldovan Consul contacted the mentioned airport and got the same reply as I did. He was trying to explain to TSA and to Continental that the travel document is usable by adults, but to no avail. They still do not allow me to travel. After all, the Consul said I should contact CBP (Customs and Border Control) to clarify the issue, and he left on a vacation. So currently I am pursuing this whole issue on my own. This situation is very weird because I know Moldovans who used the same travel document to travel outside US and had no problems, unless the rules on international travel documents have been changed recently.

[Rodica 0]

Being an LPR isn't the issue here. It is the temporary travel document that you were issued.

How does the embassy know that it is only the NW Arkansas airport that doesn't know what they are being presented? Did you ask the person from Continental that refused you where it stated that it was for a minor child? And did you get clarification on that point from the consular staff person from the Moldovan embassy?

Could the person at the embassy be mistaken? Could you have been issued the wrong document?

You are asking why a TSA staffer is not familiar with a temporary Moldovan document? Temporary passports/travel documents are not items that gate agents commonly see. And the instance of Moldovan documents are likely rare. So you may have to do some work to be able to verify the validity of the document.

I don't know how the embassy knows that it is only the NW Arkansas airport that does not accept travel documents. The consul said that Moldovans travel with such documents from New York, he also tried to contact Continental in New York, however he got no answer.

[B'sA 0]

Being an LPR isn't the issue here. It is the temporary travel document that you were issued.

How does the embassy know that it is only the NW Arkansas airport that doesn't know what they are being presented? Did you ask the person from Continental that refused you where it stated that it was for a minor child? And did you get clarification on that point from the consular staff person from the Moldovan embassy?

Could the person at the embassy be mistaken? Could you have been issued the wrong document?

You are asking why a TSA staffer is not familiar with a temporary Moldovan document? Temporary passports/travel documents are not items that gate agents commonly see. And the instance of Moldovan documents are likely rare. So you may have to do some work to be able to verify the validity of the document.

I am a moldovan citizen who travelled to Moldova in march 2011 with a Travel Document. Had no issues whatsoever.

As far as the gate agents not being familiar with the Travel Document: i used to work at the bank and not recognizing a certain kind of ID didn't give me the right to refuse the customer the bank transaction.

In that case you find a supervizor or consult an id catalog.