Why do they pay more than $1,000 to risk their lives to a smuggler in order to reach a country that finally promises asylum? A flight from Istanbul to Berlin or from Amman to Munich costs about $300.
The effort clearly is about denying refugees their legal right to seek asylum.
“They can reach the airports, they can afford to buy a ticket, but they cannot leave.” This is because the airlines will be fined if they allow anyone to travel to Europe or the U.S. without a visa.
“But,” you might say, “asylum seekers don’t need visas!” Indeed they do not. The same EU directive that orders airlines to pay fines if they allow anyone to board a plane without a visa, also states that the rule does not apply to refugees! But a refugee cannot get past the ticket agent. Airlines are afraid of fines, and countries who promise refuge are shamelessly using the airline-ticket agents to deny refugees a chance to safely seek asylum. This is the reason so many people drown in the Mediterranean Sea.
There are no regular ways for refugees to reach Europe.
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What about people booking a flight to a country for which they can just enter without Visa and fly via Europe? They can just not take the onward flight and go to boarder control in the European country.