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Sheila and Jessica Queenan, a mother and daughter, were charged over £800 due to easyJet’s misapplication of passport regulations, resulting in the cancellation of their birthday vacation to the Canary Islands.
On May 21, 2022, they reached Gatwick airport to board an easyJet flight bound for Lanzarote. Sheila Queenan had planned to commemorate her 68th birthday there.
The two women possessed passports that adhered to the regulations for British travelers to the European Union after Brexit.
The ground staff of easyJet mistakenly denied entry to Sheila Queenan, claiming her passport was invalid.
Following the departure of the UK from the EU, the British government engaged in discussions to have British passport holders classified as “third-country citizens”. This would make them subject to the EU’s two regulations regarding passport validity.
- Under 10 years old on the day of departure to the European Union
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There must be a minimum of three months left before the intended return date.
Sheila Queenan had a passport that fulfilled all requirements. According to Jessica Queenan, her mother was prohibited from boarding at the gate. Jessica did not want to abandon her mother at the airport and then go on the holiday alone.
”
“We were left waiting at the gate without any further clarification.”
After returning home, I reached out to easyJet to clarify the situation and request reimbursement and compensation for our ruined trip. It was their responsibility as they had wrongly denied my boarding.
The airline had complete knowledge of the accurate passport regulations for Europe following Brexit. Half a year prior, The Independent had engaged in thorough conversations with appropriate officials from the European Commission in Brussels and had shared the information, along with extensive research notes and contact information, with easyJet so that they could verify the rules independently.
In April 2022, EasyJet began following the correct regulations. However, in the following month, Sheila Queenan was incorrectly denied boarding. The airline then insisted on their stance, accusing the passenger of possessing an expired document.
A representative from customer service has verified your passport and can confirm that the expiration date has been prolonged. Please note that we do not accept extended passports.
The meaning of the agent’s statement is ambiguous: Sheila Queenan’s passport was standard and met all requirements. It had a validity of ten years and five months, which was the standard length for passports issued prior to 2018.
The representative subsequently inserted a fabricated stipulation regarding British passports: “It must have a validity of at least six months beyond your planned departure date.”
Sheila and Jessica visited Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in order to receive reimbursement for their total losses of £1,322, as well as an additional £350 each for being denied boarding. Jessica Queenan stated, “I believe it was a fair request given that the holiday did not actually happen.”
In the event that an airline incorrectly refuses boarding to a single member of a group, it is customary for them to provide compensation to all affected passengers, even though this is not a legal obligation.
EasyJet offered a total of £489 to Sheila Queenan, which included £350 in compensation and the airfare. However, they did not accept any responsibility for the situation involving her daughter.
The decision from AviationADR, the adjudicator, was expected in December 2022, but it was delayed by an additional year. In the end, the adjudicator determined that Sheila Queenan was only entitled to the original offer of £489 from easyJet.
Jessica Queenan expressed her extreme distress from the situation, from being treated unfairly at the departure gate to the lengthy process of finding a solution.
According to an easyJet representative, they have offered Sheila Queenan compensation and the ADR provider has determined that the amount offered is appropriate. easyJet will always abide by the decision of the ADR provider.
Source: independent.co.uk
