Not in the System

Some of you may remember The Net (1995 film) with Sandra Bullock. Her records in computer databases were altered rendering her losing her identity and inheriting bad criminal record. Societies today rely extremely heavily on computerized personal records and it may be difficult - if not impossible - to prove the reality is different from what computers say.

On my busy travel schedule, last June I arrived in Denver, Colorado, for some business meetings and my onward flight was to Seoul, Korea. To my surprise, I could not complete the on-line check-in procedure at united.com. It was weird, as I fly with them a lot and they have all my data stored. But the on-line system refused to issue a boarding card for me, suggesting contacting the ground staff.

The staff asked me for a Korean visa, which I did not have.

Of course being a Schengen citizen I don't need one, for a stay of up to 90 days (I intended to stay for a week). But the United computers were not aware of this exempt and the ground staff agent demanded the visa. Denying me to board the flight.

Trying to explain that the visa - if it has anything to do - is a matter between the government of Poland (where I live) and the government of Korea (where I was going) - and has nothing to do with the United flight  - did not help.

"This is the law" - she said - pointing to the computer screen. "No this is not" - I replied - "This is the United.com website. The law is the agreement between Korea and the Schengen countries". That was not helping. Finally I persuaded her to dig deeper and she found that rule allowing me to go to Korea without a visa up to 90 days.

- "So when is your return flight?" - she asked (undeniably trying to have a proof of me staying less than 90 days).
- "I am not returning here" was my answer.
- "So where do you go?" she continued
- "I go to Almaty."
- "Where?"
- "Almaty, Kazakhstan"
- "Do you have a flight ticket?"
- "Yes I do!" and I produced her my Astana Airlines reservation, which she typed into her computer.
- "But this is not in my system!" was her response
- "Of course it is not, as United does not fly from Seoul to Almaty."
- ....

Finally it ended OK they let me on the flight, but it took about an hour of a fairly unpleasant and stressful conversation, with me being quite well prepared. But to me it all brought the memories of The Net and how helpless one can be fighting with "the system".