Trouble w/ one-way ticket from Aus to BKK w/ Emirates or Malaysia Airlines?

Sorry for such a compact title - couldn't fit much else in!

Basically my British friend is flying from Australia to Bangkok on a combination of Emirates and Malaysian Airlines (I assume he's changing at Sydney or something)

He only has a one way ticket to Thailand at the moment. Will he have trouble checking in with a one-way ticket on either of these airlines?

If he needs onward travel, would a cheap flight from southern Thailand to Kuala Lumpur suffice for the check-in staff?

I know he'd be ok with a tourist visa, but I think it's too late for him to get one now (he flies on Wed)

Thanks if you can assist...

Jim

If recent experiences are anything to go by then he'll be denied boarding. But who knows. He COULD go to a Thai consulate in person on Monday and explain his situation. They can and will do a tourist visa on the spot, and even if there's an admin charge for fast visa, it will still be cheaper than any ticket he may need to buy. Or he MAY just get boarded without problem. Malaysian use contract staff at check-in in Australia and they are not known for flexibility.

"If he needs onward travel, would a cheap flight from southern Thailand to Kuala Lumpur suffice for the check-in staff?" Yes, any ticket at all that takes him out of Thailand within 30 days.

Good advice. Thank you. I will suggest he gets down to the consulate!

Sometimes on rare occaisons airline staff might grumble that the onward ticket should be out of the region not just to the next country , but a regional ticket will probably suffice.
Its not so much which airline is used , it depends on the attitude of the check in staff supervisor . In some cases the person may be aware of the real situation regarding how its unlikely that rules will be enforced on arrival and thus let you go . But in most cases Australian staff follow the rules literally .
You could try contacting the airline , insist on speaking to someone with some authority on these matters and ask if you can sign disclaimer/waiver form . But chances are that you will just get the runaround.

If he is flying in to KL first and doing KL-Bangkok he won't have any problems with boarding for BKK in KL. He would just have to meet visa requirements for Malaysia, which would be no problem.

If he is flying through any other country to Bangkok he will be fine. Because the flight from Australia is to country X in which they already can prove they are leaving by going to country Y removing the liability of the Australian airline to country X if they get denied entry. Once you are in Asia I have never been asked to prove onward travel boarding a flight. But yes they can be very strict leaving Australia. I nearly got stuck going Vaustralia one way to the states as I was leaving on a bus ticket out but not booked yet. Checkin person called her manager and I was able to talk my way out of it, but letter of the law they could have denied me.

That's a good point. I'll find out if he is changing in Malaysia. He's flying from Melbourne originally so I guess that could make sense.

Thanks!

If its just a changeover at the airport and the person is booked thru to Thailand on the same ticket then the checkin staff will want to see either onward ticket or visa for Thailand .

If in fact that person is having stop over in Malaysia leaving the airport andthen going onto Thailand later then he would have to show ticket out of Malaysia if he didn't already have the KL- Bkok leg pre booked.
One way tickets from Australia to Malaysia can be problematic as Malaysia also has air ticket out requirement and getting a visa for malaysia may not be practical . On the other hand probably more chance of being able to ask the airline to allow one to fly one way to Malaysia then there would be with Thailand.

What you have said is correct davelliot. If you fly in to Malaysia though it can be very easy to keep an eye on airasia.com sales, and even if you don't want to go there just buy a ticket for $5 out of Malaysia which provides proof you are leaving, you can then travel overland if you wish. I have travelled various parts of the world over the past 2 years all only on one way tickets. There are always relatively cheap ways around the rules for a return ticket to your home country and I have never actually got stuck. You can also buy a fully refundable ticket onwards from whichever country on your credit card and then just get a refund once you are inside the country.

Thats right , but Air Asia doesn't always sell tickets at a loss , there may be times when the prices are more expensive during busy season . If they always had cheap tickets they would go bankrupt. And some people don't like having to buy tickets on the net and may not have a credit card , altho I suppose they could also do it thru travel agents .
I would still recommend trying to conatct the airline first and try and seek exemption , even though its about 70 or 80 per cent chance the airline staff will refer you back to the consulate.

I think he's traveling Melbourne > Kuala Lumpur on Emirates, then transferring to KL > BKK on Malaysia Airlines, so with any luck shouldn't have any issues, though I've told him to get down the consulate and see what they can do.

He should have no problems at all, the consulate I am guessing will be no help at all as well.

The consulate told him he will definitely be asked for onward travel at the airport, and they need 24 hours to make a visa, so thats not am option - I'm not sure if he explained his situation well enough but it's scared him into buying the cheapest Air Asia out of Thailand he could find - Hat Yai to KL at 1390 baht!

Just as I thought the consulate would say. If his two flights are in fact separate, Aus to KL, then KL to Thailand there was no need to buy that ticket. I have only heard of extremely rare cases of anyone being asked to show onward travel and it has been when they have really looked like they don't have the funds to sustain themselves.

If he is booked all on the one ticket, probably a good move. Could have just got a fully refundable from Thai though to avoid paying anything.

Thai consulates just re state the rules , useless to try asking them for advice . Is the stop at KL airport a transit stop to change planes ? (ie - he is not leaving the airport at KL and having stopover before continuing to Bkok later) . If so, the Australian airport staff will want to see onward ticket for Thailand . Thats what he will need that ticket to KL for . Did you explain to him that the problem is not being asked at Bkok , but being asked by Melbourne check in staff ?.

Sorry , I should have said Sydney airport check in staff.

I should have said, those cases of rarely seeing anyone asked for onward travel was for travel within Asia, they will nearly most definitely ask for it leaving Australia. What davelliot is saying though is right, just needs proof of onward travel from the first point of landing outside of Australia.