Bengaluru student travelling to Canada via US denied boarding by Qatar Airways

The woman was told by Qatar Airways flight crew that she can't board the flight.

A 25-year-old Bengaluru student, who was headed to Vancouver in Canada for higher studies, was denied boarding by the Qatar Airways airport crew at the Kempagowda International Airport on Wednesday since she did not have a US visa that was required as she had booked flights that involved a two-hour transit at Seattle.

The woman, who was identified as Simran, had secured a seat for a masters degree program in arts and entertainment management in a college in Vancouver and had received her Canadian student visa. Her flight tickets to Vancouver were booked in early January, with her classes starting in April.

She had paid Rs 77,000 for an economy class ticket and reached the Bengaluru airport early on Wednesday to board the flight from Bengaluru to Doha and later was scheduled to take a flight from Doha to Seattle and eventually get to Vancouver from Seattle.

"To my dismay, I was told by the ground staff of Qatar Airways that I can't board the flight as I don't have a valid US visa for the travel. I was extremely disappointed as when I was booking my ticket on the portal it didn't provide me any information regarding the US visa, else I would have done the needful," Simran, who was forced to cancel the ticket and return home, told The Times of India.

Eventually, she had book to another British Airways flight to Vancouver via London and Toronto that did not need a transit visa, by paying an extra Rs 1.4 lakh. Her refund from Qatar Airways is being processed.

As per rules, Indian passport holders who pass through the US to reach a final destination need a US transit visa otherwise the passenger will be denied boarding from the airport of origin.

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