Malaysia Airlines

(printed from my e-mail) for 72-hours stay in Australia in order to avoid applying for regular tourist visa. But this is a different story.
Malaysia Airlines boarding pass barcode and New Zealand immigration

Depending of the airlines one’s boarding pass might be printed with barcode which basically is scanned at the boarding gate just before the plane to take off with the passengers.

Staying on the queue, step by step I approach the boarding gate. I pass my boarding pass to the airline officer for scanning and I expect the usual Green light to beep what means I should proceed straight to the airplane. These is no green light for me, it is Red Light Alert Signal. The airline officer tried once again. No, it is a red light alert signal once again. Third attempt – it’s the same story. I am advised to step aside so other people to proceed. They need to check what was wrong with my boarding pass after 3 failed attempts.

Another lady from Malaysia Airlines - she seem to be a senior officer call me to get to a desk few meter left from the boarding gate. She asked me about my names. I show her my passport and the boarding pass. Quick checking once again and I am informed that an unknown person from the New Zealand immigration has to ask me questions. She dialed a phone number and all of a sudden a visa interview took place for me in the following 20 minutes just before closing the gate for boarding in Kuala Lumpur for the flight with final destination Auckland, New Zealand. It’s my connection flight for my South Pacific Ocean trip which initially started from Istanbul (Turkey).

As a Bulgarian citizen I don’t need to apply and secure a New Zealand visa in advance for a tourist visit up to 3 months. I have checked this and I bought my return ticket from Istanbul to Auckland with Malaysia airlines without any hesitations. I didn’t expect any problems… I was wrong.
Yes, I don’t need visa but this doesn’t mean that my entry in New Zealand is granted. The story goes on as follows:
- it is a full - fledged visa interview – who am I, what’s my purpose of the visit, which places I intend to see, in which hotels I have booking (including their addresses and phones), any relatives in New Zealand, my job position, my income, my money on disposal for this trip. Note that she wasn’t pleased to know that I am single male, with no children, traveling alone. Personal data and travel itinerary in details.
- Special interest was shown about the reason for my boarding in Istanbul, Turkey. OK, we know that Turkey is the transit and logistic point for warriors in Syria civil war but my reason is a casual one – tickets are far cheaper in Istanbul than from Sofia. Anyway it is suspicious when Turkey is included in one’s trip itinerary.
- At the end the New Zealand immigration officer ask me handle the phone to Malaysia airlines senior officer. Sweet talk and clichés for common understanding unleashed.

After brief talk between Malaysia Airlines senior officer and New Zealand immigration officer I’m informed I’m allowed to board on the plane. I have passed this visa interview by phone wire. I was the last person admitted on the plane from the queue. I’m exhausted but happy. All my South Pacific Ocean trip was exposed to a risk and threatened to be aborted by New Zealand immigration rules in case my answer didn’t comply the rules.

Malaysia Airlines had nothing with this immigration procedure requested by New Zealand. They should obey it if they want to run the business smoothly. I was permitted successfully in New Zealand but it came after a lot of unpleasant question to prove my private and social living status and when the outcome is uncertain. What help me a little bit – I had a transit visa