.png)
4 months ago
23
A couple claim Ryanair escorted them out of the airport like 'criminals' after barring them from boarding because one of them had a 'tea stain' on the page of her passport.
Rory Allen jetted off from East Midlands Airport with his 35-year-old girlfriend Nina Wilkins for a week in Costa Brava, Spain, on Sunday, July 7th.
After arriving at the airport, the pair showed their passports at the Ryanair check-in desk and claimed there were no issues raised so went straight through to security.
It was only when they reached the boarding gate that the business owner claims his girlfriend was told by staff she couldn't board the flight when the Ryanair staff member spotted the stain on her passport.
Can you spot the flaw? How Nina's passport looked compared to a specimen passport
Rory Allen and his girlfriend Nina Wilkins were heading to Costa Brava in Spain, when a Ryanair flight attendant spotted a stain on her passport and barred her from boarding the plane at East Midlands Airport
The tea stain can be seen bottom right and does not obscure the passport details
Rory claims a Ryanair manager took them both to baggage reclaim to collect their luggage before they say they were escorted out of the the airport like 'criminals'.
Mr Allen said he was shocked when Nina was stopped from boarding since she had used the same passport this year to travel.
He was even more surprised when Ryanair staff reportedly suggested they book another flight with a different airline as they would be more likely to accept the marked document.
Determined to travel, the pair paid £260 for new tickets with Jet2 who they claim allowed them to travel.
The couple were excited to board their flight for Costa Brava in Spain but were refused permission to board because of of damage to Nina Wilkins' passport
The couple paid £260 for new tickets with Jet2 who allowed them to travel
Nina Wilkins had used her passport earlier this year to travel abroad
Ryanair said the passenger was 'correctly refused travel' as their passport had 'decolourisation' and that the rules are set by the UK Passport Office and not them.
Government guidelines state a passport can be classed as damaged if details are indecipherable or if there is 'damage or discolourations to any part of the passport', including from water.
Rory, from Coventry in Warwickshire, said: 'We checked in our bags at the Ryanair desk.
'She looked at all of our passports and didn't really bat an eyelid and then we went through security.
The couple say they were forced to sit in Rory's car for several hours until it was time to check in for their new flight
Nina Wilkins says she was left distressed and in tears when she was prevented from boarding because her family were on the plane that had taken off without her
'By this point we're happy because we're in the airport and our holiday is beginning.
'In the airport we had breakfast and a couple of beers and bought some money in the shops. We spent the best part of £200 in the airport.
'We weren't even thinking about the possibility of not being let on the plane.
'[At the boarding gate], they opened Nina's passport, made a couple of gestures through their radios and they said they wouldn't let us on the flight with this passport.
'There is a stain on the passport. It looks like a tea stain. Nina and I have already been away this year and used that passport.
Vicky Pattison was banned from flying to her wedding venue in Italy because of her documents
Consumer lawyer DEAN DUNHAM on what to do about a damaged passport
Airlines are also greatly influenced by severe financial penalties that are levied against them if they allow a passenger to travel with incorrect or invalid travel documentation.
And for this reason you will often find an airline takes an overly cautious approach, so it's important to understand your rights in these situations.
The UK Government defines a 'damaged passport' as one that is not in a condition to be accepted as proof of identity.
It lists examples as the details in the passport being indecipherable, the laminate lifting enough to allow the possibility of replacing the photo, discolouration to the bio-data page, chemical or ink spillage on any page, missing or detached pages, the chip or antenna showing through the end paper on the back cover for the new style e-passports and a damaged chip.
HM Passport Office specifically states that normal wear and tear is expected and should not count as 'damage'. I've heard many stories where passengers have been denied boarding due to a damaged passport but on further investigation it transpired the damage was not sufficient to invalidate it.
It is therefore always worth questioning the airline as to why your damaged passport cannot be used as proof of your identity, especially if you feel it does not fall within one of the issues listed above.
I should say however, whilst your passport may look in reasonable condition, the real test is of course whether the passport scanning tech at the airport can read it.
If, despite your best efforts, you are denied boarding, you should consider making a claim for compensation via one of the two approved alternative dispute resolution schemes (CEDR or AviationADR) or if it was a package holiday, via ABTA.
If, like Vicky, you find your passport is lost, stolen or damaged when you get to the airport, aside from arguing a damaged passport is still valid, there is not much you can do if you are at a UK airport for an outbound journey. Your only option in these circumstances is to abandon your travel plans and apply for a new passport.
However, if you find yourself in this situation overseas during your return travel, you can apply for an 'Emergency Travel document' by filing out an application on the official government website: https://www.apply-emergency-travel-document.service.gov.uk/ or by making an appointment at the local British Embassy.
'We didn't think it was an issue as we had already used the passport (with the stain) in other airports.
'It's just a stain on her passport. Everything is still visible. Nina broke down instantly and started crying and panicking.
'We had to leave the gate where you get on the plane, go to baggage reclaim as if you were coming back into England and then leave the whole airport.
'After we got our bags, we got escorted out of the airport like we were criminals and it was embarrassing.
'While we were going to get our bags from baggage claim, the Ryanair manager said we would be able to fly with Jet2 as they accept passports with a little damage.
'I don't understand how one airline can do this and another doesn't. It just baffles me.'
While waiting for their Jet2 flight to take off, the pair sat in Rory's car for several hours until they could check in.
Rory claims the airline manager who escorted them out the airport apologised and said the lady at the front desk should never have accepted Nina's passports in the first place.
As well as having to pay an additional £260 on new flights, they said they had to spend an extra £70 on transport after missing their initial slot and missed out on the first day of their trip.
'I had paid for my car to be parked at East Midlands Airport for the week, so we went back to the car and slept in the car as we were shattered,' Rory said.
'It was shocking that we had to do this.
'Nina was distraught as her family were on the plane that had taken off and we were still in England.
'The Ryanair manager took us to get our bags. He apologised and told us the woman at the front desk should never have let us through in the first place.'
The seven-night vacation was a Christmas present bought from Nina's 57-year-old mum, Sarah Wilkins.
Fortunately, on their Ryanair flight home on Sunday, July 14th, Nina said she had no issue with her passport and was able to return to the UK without having to book extra flights.
Nina, from Leamington Spa in Warwickshire, said: 'I got really upset and I cried and I got so anxious.
'I suffer with cystic fibrosis and signed as disabled so the way I felt I was escorted out the airport, there was no care or help.
'We missed our booked transport so had to buy more and this cost us around £70.'
A Ryanair spokesperson said: 'This passenger was correctly refused travel from East Midlands to Girona (7 Jul) as their passport was damaged and therefore not valid for travel.
'Ryanair requires each passenger to ensure that their passport is valid for travel in line with the relevant requirements at the time of travel.'
East Midlands Airport declined to comment.
Jet2 was contacted for comment.
Only a few months ago, reality star Vicky Pattison also found herself barred from flying, to her dream wedding venue in Italy.
The reality star, 36, was turned away from her easyJet flight in April due to her dog chewing and slightly damaging her passport.
She was visiting the country to plan her nuptials with fiancé Ercan Ramadan ahead of their September date but was instead left sobbing at home and ordering travel documents.
English (US)