The Travel Agent Association (TAA) yesterday criticized the government for barring travel agents from giving Chinese tourists entry permits through airlines’ “OK Board” service.
The “OK Board” service is an expedient measure practiced by airlines around the world.
If a telecoms carrier confirms that a certain passenger has secured an entry permit or visa to a given country, but will not be able to receive it before departure, the passenger will be allowed to board the aircraft without the travel permit.
The passenger will then receive an entry permit upon arrival at his or her destination airport.
Tourists normally receive their visas while still in their home countries.
Because of the special situation between China and Taiwan, Taiwanese travel agents must apply for entry permits on behalf of their Chinese clients.
The travel agents are responsible for sending the entry permits via express mail to their customers in China.
TAA secretary-general Roget Hsu (許高慶) said that travel agents have to be able to use the “OK Board” service to ensure that customers actually receive entry permits before checking in at immigration, adding that in one case a package containing entry permits for Chinese tourists was sent to Paris instead of China.
Hsu said in the past, airlines provided the “OK Board” service to travel agents free of charge. With the increase in Chinese tourists, airlines wanted to charge travel agents a processing fee for distributing entry permits. The TAA then proposed that it could have a special service desk in restricted areas of airports to distribute entry permits to Chinese tourists upon their arrival, he said.
When asked to comment, Civil Aeronautics Administration Director-General Lee Lung-wen (李龍文) said the “OK Board service” was not a regular measure, adding that it was not appropriate for travel agents to provide the service at an airport.
National Immigration Agency (NIA) Director-General Hsieh Li-kung (謝立功) said at a separate setting yesterday that “OK Board” services should only be a backup measure to be used in case of an emergency, and not a regular way to enter a country.
Hsieh said the “OK Board” was often granted to Taiwanese nationals who had lost their passport abroad, or foreigners who need to enter the country in an emergency.
“It’s regrettable that since last year, as many as eight tour groups from China have entered the country on the ‘OK Board’ provision,” Hsieh said. “The number is, I have to say, a bit too high.”
Citing “concerns over national security,” Hsieh said the NIA also disagreed with the proposal to set up counters inside restricted areas at airports to process entry permits for Chinese tourists.
He said the NIA would continue to negotiate with other government agencies and the travel industry to come up with a more appropriate solution to the issue.
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