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A young adult’s initial international trip was disrupted, including his New Year’s Eve festivities, due to an issue with his passport resulting in Ryanair denying his ability to travel with his parents.
The family has lost over £1,000 due to the cancellation of their eight-day dream trip.
On December 28, 19-year-old Jake Barton was prepared to fly to Spain with a budget airline from East Midlands Airport to celebrate the start of the new year in Europe.
Unfortunately, he was denied entry at the gate.
According to The Sun, Mr. Barton believes that his parents are saying he couldn’t travel because of a 1cm rip in his passport, which he thinks he caused while out at night.
Although his parents were able to travel, they refused to leave their son behind.
Is it possible to be denied entry into a country due to a damaged passport?
According to Jake’s mother, Rachael Burton, after completing all the necessary procedures, Ryanair denied their entry at the last moment. This was extremely devastating, especially since they were already in the holiday mindset by the time they reached the gate.
“The most unpleasant aspect was that the woman refused to make eye contact when she denied our request. We were escorted through the airport, including the runway, to exit. It was a terrible experience.”
According to Mrs. Burton, the family has been attempting to visit friends in Benidorm for several years. Unfortunately, it seems unlikely that they will receive a refund. She also mentioned that their son Jake is blaming himself and has been secluded in his room since their return home.
“I believe this experience has permanently deterred him from flying.”
A representative from Ryanair informed The Independent that a 19-year-old passenger was denied boarding on a flight from East Midlands to Alicante (28 Dec). The gate agent at East Midlands Airport correctly refused travel as the passenger’s passport was damaged and therefore not acceptable for travel.
As stated by HM Passport Office, a passport is considered damaged if its condition prevents it from being used as a form of identification. Examples of damage may include:
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The laminate is coming off or separating from the page with personal information.
- Unreadable details
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Pages that are not present or separated.
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Changes made to the front, back, or personal details section/page.
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Harm or change in color to any section of the passport.
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The electronic passport’s new design includes the chip or antenna visible through the back cover’s end paper.
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After conducting an investigation, it has been determined that the chip is damaged.
According to Simon Calder, a travel expert for The Independent, the issue of damaged passports is a recurring problem, especially for young adults who need to show official identification to enter certain locations.
Airlines tend to prioritize safety and may face penalties for permitting a passenger to travel without proper documentation.
Source: independent.co.uk
