9 Filipinos bound for Dubai ‘offloaded’ from flight

  DUBAI – Nine Filipinos bound for Dubai were “offloaded” from their flight on Sunday (March 27), Expatmedia.net has learnt. They were denied boarding of their flight on Sunday morning after allegedly failing to convince immigration staff of their reason for traveling to Dubai, a passenger said. “There were nine of us being interrogated one by one in a room at the airport,” M.S. (full name withheld) told Expatmedia.net. “All nine of us were offloaded from the flight,” she said. M.S. said that most of those offloaded from the flight were on tourist visa, while at least two hopeful passengers were scheduled to visit their siblings in Dubai. M.S. was supposed to board a Philippine Airlines flight to Dubai at 12:40pm to visit the emirate before Expo 2020 closes. The Filipina said that at the immigration office in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, a female immigration officer  mocked her for booking a ticket with the more expensive Philippine carrier. “She told me, ‘Philippine Airlines pa talaga ha! Ako nga naka sampung byahe na 'di ko ma afford yan' (On Philippine Airlines flight at that! I've travelled ten times and even I can't afford their ticket)," M.S. quoted the immigration officer as saying. "I was offended but kept my cool. I don’t understand why she had to be arrogant and demeaning,” said M.S., who added that she also complied when the officer asked her for a valid ID, a receipt from the travel agency and proof of her bank account that contained more than P100,000 (Dh7,056) in savings. M.S. said she carried an extra $950 (Dh3,489) in her wallet. “I also showed her all my tourist visa papers. When she wasn't satisfied, she asked me for my SSS and PAG-IBIG records, which I didn’t think to bring. She then said I couldn’t get on the flight,” she continued. Speaking to Expatmedia.net, a travel agency operator said that there have been many instances of Dubai-bound Filipino tourists at the Manila airport being offloaded from their flights recently. “In recent weeks, the offloading percentage for Filipino tourists has been 80 percent,” said the operator, who declined to be named. Expatmedia.net contacted the Bureau of Immigration (BI) for comment but there was no reply at the time of publication. However, BI former commissioner Siegfred Mison said in a previous interview that “offloading is not a policy but a consequence of the implementation of the guidelines” regarding departure formalities for Filipinos traveling overseas. The rules are in line with the Philippines’ anti-trafficking laws, according to BI. “Requirements to be asked from travelers are also based on their respective purposes,” according to BI. “Tourists must prove their financial capability for the trip, present proof of work or support in the Philippines, or submit an affidavit of support if they are visiting relatives overseas, to prevent being offloaded from flights,” according to BI. PIA/Expat Media
For all the latest news from the UAE and the world, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube 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