Posted on the Expat forum:
Dear All. On January 1, 2015, I flew from Boston, MA to Guatemala City on American Airlines. I had purchased a round-trip ticket returning to the U.S. at the end of June. I did all of my ticketing on the American Airlines website including choosing seats, checking in, and printing a boarding pass. The only thing that I needed to do at the airport was to check my two large suitcases.
When I got to the curbside baggage checker, he told me that my ticket was flagged because my stay was for more than 90 days. He asked for my “visa” which, of course, I did not have. This requirement came up on his computer even though nothing came up on the website when checked in on the previous evening.
After much arguing with a higher-up at the American Airlines counter, I was forced to purchase a one-way return ticket that was within the 90-day window. I had to pay full fare since I needed a ticket that I could cancel with a full refund. The ticket cost me over $800. I was fortunate to have a credit card with me with that much credit available.
The woman I spoke to told me that these things can change at any time and that the Guatemalan government could sue American Airlines for up to $20,000 for each passenger whom they allowed to enter without proof of return within 90 days. She advised me to keep the new return ticket on me in case Guatemalan customs asked for it. They never did ask.
I am sharing this as a warning to you and your friends since this could be an extremely inconvenient and expensive incident if you are not able to purchase a return ticket. I am also interested in hearing if anyone else has experienced this new change in policy.
