Lufthansa denies information about the ban on Russian citizens from flying on the airline's flights, but emphasizes that passengers should comply with visa and transit rules. «Lufthansa Group carriers do not prohibit flights to citizens of any nationality. However, depending on the transit and final destination of the passenger, we, unlike most other airlines, are required to check visa documents or coronavirus-related documentation required by the authorities to enter the transit country or destination», — told «Interfax» Boris Ogursky, an employee of the air carrier's press service.
The statement by a representative of the airline followed the appearance on social networks of messages about mass refusals of Russian citizens to board airline flights transiting through Europe. We are talking about Lufthansa flights from Istanbul via Frankfurt, including to Mexico. Although messages from social network users often have an emotional overtones and do not always contain information that allows one to understand the reason for the refusal, their massive nature still indicates a tightening of the airline’s policy towards Russian passengers.
Boris Ogursky emphasized that the passenger has the right to be allowed on board only if the visa and travel documents are valid. «These rules are not established by us, but by the authorities of the countries», — he added. However, users of social networks report that airline employees denied boarding, citing various biased reasons: the need to have a residence permit in Mexico, and not an electronic permit, a Schengen visa when transiting through Frankfurt even as part of a single ticket, or a return ticket only on Lufthansa outside the Schengen zone.
Users of social networks also report the ongoing practice of refusing admission to Turkish Airlines flights if the passenger has a return ticket on a flight of another airline. Since flights on Turkish Airlines from Istanbul to Amsterdam or Paris, and from there on Aeromexico to Mexico City, now cost half as much as direct flights from Istanbul to Mexico City, many Russians prefer to book them. But Turkish Airlines does not board flights to Amsterdam, citing the fact that the passenger should have a return ticket from Mexico only for the flight of this airline.
Emirates employees have also started requiring a return ticket from Mexico only for their airline's flights when boarding flights from Dubai to Mexico City.
However, airlines never give written notice of the reason for the refusal. As private, commercial enterprises, they have the right to interpret the visa requirements of destination countries as they see fit, without providing links to official sources. In all cases of refusal, it is recommended to immediately request a refund for the ticket. In the future, it will be necessary to plan routes more carefully, avoiding independent connections and combinations of flights from different airlines.