The problem is we let our passports expire. We've requested new passports/extensions but it will probably be several months before we receive them. Our trip is from LAX to Rome, via Frankfurt, but not until June 2020. Has anyone else experienced something like this?
And, yes, I will contact Lufthansa.
Thank you!
Sure, very common. It is a US government regulation regarding backgrounds checks on passengers. Got to check you against the "No Fly" list. They want to know who you are. It does not take several months to re-new passport so why the delay. Right now you probably can get a passport in six weeks, probably less. Just get the passports and forward the numbers. And hotels booked in advance may well ask for passport numbers or a copy prior to arrival. If not they will want to see it, may keep it for few hours, when you check in. It is you only recognized id so what is your concern?????
PS -- While you are at it, sign up for Global Entry. It will make your life much easier.
Lufthansa just wants to get your booking info completed. They are not going to cancel your ticket 11 months out if you don't have this info. You just won't get a boarding card until you do. The information is for both U.S. authorities and European authorities to make sure you are not a wanted criminal.
As Frank stated, getting a new passport won't take months.
Your passport is your only legal means of identification outside North America. You will be asked for it not only for airlines but also in Italian hotels. They will take your passport and make a copy of it. Dont' worry, that's normal. In fact, it's the law.
The passports will not take “several months!”
Our last passport renewals took about 2 1/2 weeks, and that was without asking for expedited service. Are there special circumstances involved? We just flew Air Canada who also requested all that info up front, and I'm thinking it was true of our last several trips. I didn't input our info to Air Canada until about a month before our trip (out of laziness) with no issues, and was still able to make the reservations. Ask Lufthansa if it is OK to wait.
Thank you, Frank, Frank II and everyone else that replied. It makes sense what you’re saying. Thought Lufthansa may want to cancel our flight since we don’t have our passports yet.
You can always expedite it by mail, return mail etc for some extra fees. You don't really need it in this situation. However, I would get it done now so that it is out of the way.
They will not cancel flights because you do not have that information in your booking. What they won't let you do is fly without the proper documentation. Just get your passports and add the information when you get it.
We're flying Luftansa next week and just entered our passport info this weekend. No big deal so you can relax!! Second the advice about Global Entry. Foreign carriers are SLOWLY getting onboard (pardon the pun) with accepting it but it does pay to have it not only for when you come back (goodbye customs lines) but also gives you TSA pre check - which is definitely worth it!!!!
Thank you, Nancy! Looks like I have plenty of time then. We did already mail our applications to renew our passports, but our daughter lost hers, so she has to appear in person to get a new one.
I think we’ll be fine. Again, this is one of the best, if not THE best, message boards on the Internet.
Global Entry has nothing to do with the airline you fly. It is simply a way to get through US customs and immigration checks quicker (sometimes an hour quicker! depending on your arrival airport) on your return to the US by air.
TSA Pre Check, which you automatically receive if you get accepted into Global Entry, does depend on which airline you fly with the airline's participation required to get the TSA Pre indicator on your boarding pass. This gets you access to the Pre Check lanes at US airports where it is available. If you fly a lot, this can add up to a lot of time savings.
Pre check only works on flights departing from the US, Global Entry only works for flights arriving in the US. So no benefit to you if you connect through airports outside the US.
