Cabin crew at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. Crews don’t require visas to most countries. Photo/FILE
Sometime last year, I found out that some acquaintances were going to the UK for work. I thought this would be an excellent opportunity to travel somewhere for leisure for a change.
Despite the short notice, I was able to apply for a rebate ticket, book a hotel room and apply for a visa.
Somewhat naively I provided brief answers in the online visa application form and supplied the minimum possible documents to support my application, assuming that my reason for visiting the UK was obvious.
Two weeks later I was still waiting for a reply from the high commission. The group I wanted to attach myself to was already back in Kenya and my leave period was over. Since I need my passport to work, I was forced to withdraw my application.
To be fair, a second stronger application was approved in a short time.
A visa is an official authorisation indicated on a passport that allows someone to visit a foreign country. Today’s nations must balance the need for allowing visitors who bring economic benefits while maintaining national security and controversially, keep out individuals who will burden it’s welfare system or take jobs from citizens.
In the past, applying for a visa was an exceedingly tedious affair. Interviewees would congregate outside the US or UK missions by 5am, jostle for a place in the queue and even then probably be sent home before being interviewed and have to repeat the entire process the next day.
It even gave rise to an industry of people willing to queue for others for a fee. Since then, the process has improved significantly with interviews being booked online.
Even with the improved application process, this system is unsuitable for airline crew. In any one month pilots can travel to multiple countries.
If burdened by the requirements of visas, modern air transport as we know it would probably grind to a halt. Not to mention with the entry and exit stamps, we would probably run through even the largest passport in a short time.
Luckily crews don’t require visas to most countries. After some prior work by the airline, we normally travel with an ICAO document known as a general declaration. It lists all the operating crew, the duration of stay, origin and destination as well as a statement confirming that we are healthy. It is also stamped by the operator to make it official.
Armed with this document, a passport and staff ID, crews can normally saunter through the immigration desks of most airports untroubled by the long queues.
All the airports I’ve been to have a separate crew desk just to make things easier. After a few years of doing this I had forgotten how many hoops a normal traveller has to jump through.
It is said that one of the main advantages of working for an airline is that you get to travel. I think removing most of the barriers that beset normal travellers is the bigger benefit.
Dr Ondieki is a pilot with an international airline.
PAYE Tax Calculator
Note: The results are not exact but very close to the actual.
