RESOURCE: Amsterdam to Mexico Airport Travel Guide/Advice

[thisguyflies 72]

If you've been active on this thread recently, you might have read my story about being denied boarding for my flight from the UK > AMS > MEX. I have spent a lot of time over the past two days getting to the bottom of what happened and have prepared this guide for anyone else with a flight booked to help you prepare for the airport and get on the plane. This is no guarantee, but following these steps will give you the best possible chance at getting on board.

 

1. Go to your countries largest, capital international airport

It's obvious that there's a communication breakdown between the airports, check in operators and airlines. Interestingly, I found out that KLM operate out of Manchester via Stobart Air. There's evidently some chain of command confusion going on here. I'm really not sure how other UK airports operate, but London might have actual KLM staff at the airport who are more knowledgeable. If you're not in the UK, see if you can find out which company represents KLM at your airport. 

 

2. Don't overwhelm the check-in staff with information as they might get confused

I'd advise trying to make things simple and not pull out endless documentation when you arrive. Certainly have it ready, but only use it if you need it. You don't want to cause concern to someone who doesn't know what they're talking about. Just hope that they don't question it.

 

3. Do not mention "tourism" ever to anyone. Explain that you're meeting your fiancee in Mexico (even if they don't have a flight booked)

If you put an emphasis on this, and crucially use the word "family" (unfortunate grey area with being a fiancee), you might stand a better chance to not be lumped in as a "tourist".

 

4. Try to bypass talking to check in staff if at all possible

If you can travel with only carry on (12kg with KLM, small bag) and don't check any baggage, print out your boarding card and print out and complete the health form, you'll can probably skip talking to check in staff and go through security. You're very likely to encounter questions at the gate (perhaps by the same staff at check in), but this at least brings you one step closer to boarding.

Note: This is speculation on my part. I spoke with somebody at the airport who told me I would be able to do this, but use your own discretion and do what you feel is best if you think you really need to talk with them at the check in desk.

 

5. Get lucky and don't be unlucky

From what I've gathered from my experience and reading what happened with other users experiences on here, there's really zero guarantee anything is going to work. I know we're all sick of our lives being put in the hands of fate like this, but this is a roll of the dice depending on the people you speak to who are the only ones who can allow you to do this. The system is in shattered pieces and we sadly have to rely on luck.

 

I truly believe if you follow these steps, you stand the best chance of this working out for you.  All else I an offer is some good luck and my appreciation for the help.

 

INFORMATION RESOURCE:

Image link to the Mexican Embassy Message on travel - source: https://embamex.sre.gob.mx/alemania/index.php/de/

 

Mexico US Embassy Travel Fact Sheet (first Q&A answer):

https://mx.usembassy.gov/travel-restrictions-fact-sheet/

 

Image link: Consulate Email via  @Ja3germeister

 

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) Interactive Coronavirus Travel Regulations Map showing open air boarders in Mexico

 

Edited May 29, 2020 by thisguyflies

[Sophiecheshire 2]

Hi,

 

so why did you get denied to Mexico? Is it because of the coronavirus? Or for other reasons? Thanks

[thisguyflies 72]

1 minute ago, Sophiecheshire said:

Hi,

 

so why did you get denied to Mexico? Is it because of the coronavirus? Or for other reasons? Thanks

 

Their (KLM's) reasoning was that my travel was classified as "tourism", which, according to them is not allowed to Mexico. However, all of the information currently available says that this is not true. The Mexican international air borders remain open to tourism.

 

The evidence I presented to them:

My K1 visa (valid until September 02).

Emails sent to me from the Mexican Consulate in the UK, CBP in the US.

Printed statements from the resources linked in my post on travel restrictions.

Evidence of accommodation in Mexico and the booking of my flight out of the country and to the US.

 

They (KLM) gave me this response as an excerpt from an apparent "internal email":

 

"According to immigration, they state the following:

 

·         The country is not open for tourism 

·         A select number of hotels are open for essential guest (like our crew hotels)

·         Passengers do not have enough documentation to prove the purpose of their stay in MEX

According to this message from the Mexican immigration, if there is a passenger travelling for tourism purposes they would be refused."

 

To answer your questions directly:
Is it because of the coronavirus? - Evidently, but they have no official statement for me as to why. Not sure if you're asking this, but have/had the virus? No.

 

Or for other reasons? - No clear reason other than this email. KLM tell me to talk to the airport and the airport tell me to talk with KLM. Nobody has any idea what's going on and can't give me any official statement. I have never once had a single problem ever boarding a plane or entering a country. I also have a valid K1 visa.

[Sophiecheshire 2]

2 minutes ago, thisguyflies said:

 

Their (KLM's) reasoning was that my travel was classified as "tourism", which, according to them is not allowed to Mexico. However, all of the information currently available says that this is not true. The Mexican international air borders remain open to tourism.

 

The evidence I presented to them:

My K1 visa (valid until September 02).

Emails sent to me from the Mexican Consulate in the UK, CBP in the US.

Printed statements from the resources linked in my post on travel restrictions.

Evidence of accommodation in Mexico and the booking of my flight out of the country and to the US.

 

They (KLM) gave me this response as an excerpt from an apparent "internal email":

 

"According to immigration, they state the following:

 

·         The country is not open for tourism 

·         A select number of hotels are open for essential guest (like our crew hotels)

·         Passengers do not have enough documentation to prove the purpose of their stay in MEX

According to this message from the Mexican immigration, if there is a passenger travelling for tourism purposes they would be refused."

 

To answer your questions directly:
Is it because of the coronavirus? - Evidently, but they have no official statement for me as to why. Not sure if you're asking this, but have/had the virus? No.

 

Or for other reasons? - No clear reason other than this email. KLM tell me to talk to the airport and the airport tell me to talk with KLM. Nobody has any idea what's going on and can't give me any official statement. I have never once had a single problem ever boarding a plane or entering a country. I also have a valid K1 visa.

Okay thank you for your reply. I was regarding that was you denied due to the coronavirus situation, as in because they thought you was going for tourism/ because people are not allowed to go for non essential travel? I’m asking because I am planning to go on a holiday to Mexico in 2 months just for 10 days and then I’m going back to Spain,  so by then tourism/non essential travel should be allowed again. So will I still face the possibility of being denied a holiday do you think? Or was yours due to the current corona/lockdown situation? Thank you for your help

[thisguyflies 72]

Just now, Sophiecheshire said:

Okay thank you for your reply. I was regarding that was you denied due to the coronavirus situation, as in because they thought you was going for tourism/ because people are not allowed to go for non essential travel? I’m asking because I am planning to go on a holiday to Mexico in 2 months just for 10 days and then I’m going back to Spain,  so by then tourism/non essential travel should be allowed again. So will I still face the possibility of being denied a holiday do you think? Or was yours due to the current corona/lockdown situation? Thank you for your help

 

Why on earth are you planning that!? What's wrong with you?? YOUR TRAVEL IS NON-ESSENTIAL, THERE IS A GLOBAL PANDEMIC HAPPENING.

 

You need to seriously rethink your priories. I'm talking about my life with my loved one and you're worried about your holiday plans? Don't you realise how that sounds? Let me explain it to you: Your holiday does not matter. You are adding to the stress and confusion for everyone involved. You are going against the advice and planning non-essential travel. You deserve to be denied.

 

 

[Sophiecheshire 2]

1 minute ago, thisguyflies said:

 

Why on earth are you planning that!? What's wrong with you?? YOUR TRAVEL IS NON-ESSENTIAL, THERE IS A GLOBAL PANDEMIC HAPPENING.

 

You need to seriously rethink your priories. I'm talking about my life with my loved one and you're worried about your holiday plans? Don't you realise how that sounds? Let me explain it to you: Your holiday does not matter. You are adding to the stress and confusion for everyone involved. You are going against the advice and planning non-essential travel. You deserve to be denied.

 

 

I don’t think I made it clear, It is not a holiday for just me, my fiancé is also visiting me there as we have not seen eachother for 6 months. But in my situation I am at the start of the form so I will have to go back home after the holiday unfortunately. But I am waiting 2 months because I don’t know if seeing fiancé is counted as a holiday or it is essential

[thisguyflies 72]

5 minutes ago, Sophiecheshire said:

I don’t think I made it clear, It is not a holiday for just me, my fiancé is also visiting me there as we have not seen eachother for 6 months. But in my situation I am at the start of the form so I will have to go back home after the holiday unfortunately. But I am waiting 2 months because I don’t know if seeing fiancé is counted as a holiday or it is essential

 

Ok, I understand you now. Apologies for my rage lol

 

Extremely uncertain situation. Everything might be different in two months from now, so nobody will have that answer for you right now.

 

Believe me, I share in your frustrations. There's people on this forum who were on the AMS > MEX flight yesterday and are chilling out there right now. There's so much contradictory information.

 

There's no answer to this. I'm trying to find one, but nobody is giving me any. I'm sorry.

Edited May 30, 2020 by thisguyflies

[Sophiecheshire 2]

Just now, thisguyflies said:

 

Ok, I understand you now. Apologies for my rage lol

 

Extremely uncertain situation. Everything might be different in two months from now, so nobody will have that answer for you right now.

 

Believe me, I share in your frustrations. There's people on this forum who were on the AMS > MEX flight yesterday and are chilling out there right now.

 

There's no answer to this. I'm trying to find one, but nobody is giving me any. I'm sorry.

That’s ok,  I understand this situation is extremely hard.  I just want to be with my loved one as I’m sure you do too and it rly sucks that the world has made it so hard now for people in long distance relationships to even see eachother. But there is a pandemic so I guess nothing we can do  But yes hopefully soon things will get better and travel situations will start to go back to normal so we can all be with our loved ones/fiancés again.

 

I hope you get to see your Fiancé soon though and wishing you the best of luck with your journey 🙂

[HRQX 4,145]

21 hours ago, Sophiecheshire said:

so why did you get denied to Mexico?

OP wasn't denied entry to Mexico; OP didn't even reach the POE for Mexico. The airline check-in employees didn't let him board the flight from UK to Amsterdam (the transit airport).

 

It's an important difference. Many travelers have recently been granted entry into Mexico.

Edited May 30, 2020 by HRQX