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| Image: BBC |
In a recent travel incident, Rory and Nina from Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, were denied boarding on their Ryanair flight from East Midlands Airport to Girona due to a stain on Nina's passport. Despite having used the same passport without issues at other airports, the couple faced unexpected complications and significant distress.
"It's just a stain on her passport. Everything is still visible," Rory explained. "Nina broke down instantly and started crying and panicking."
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The situation quickly escalated as they were instructed to leave the gate, retrieve their baggage as if re-entering England, and ultimately exit the airport. Rory described the experience as humiliating: "After we got our bags, we got escorted out of the airport like we were criminals and it was embarrassing."
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| The stained document |
While retrieving their luggage, the Ryanair manager informed them they could fly with Jet2, which accepts passports with minor damage. "I don't understand how one airline can do this and another doesn't. It just baffles me," Rory remarked.
With hours to spare before their rescheduled flight, Rory and Nina waited in Rory's car until they could check in. Adding to their woes, they incurred an additional £260 for new flights and £70 for transport after missing their initial travel slot. "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 recounted. "It was shocking that we had to do this."
Nina was particularly distressed, as her family had already departed on the flight, leaving her and Rory behind. "Nina was distraught as her family were on the plane that had taken off and we were still in England," Rory said. The Ryanair manager apologized, admitting that the front desk staff should not have permitted them to proceed with the damaged passport.
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| The couple |
The couple's planned seven-night vacation was a Christmas gift from Nina's mother, Sarah Wilkins. Fortunately, Nina faced no issues with her passport on their Ryanair flight back to the UK on July 14.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Nina 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 of the airport, there was no care or help. We missed our booked transport so had to buy more and this cost us around £70."
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A Ryanair spokesperson defended their actions, stating, "This passenger was correctly refused travel from East Midlands to Girona 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 on the incident, while Jet2 was contacted for their perspective.
This incident is reminiscent of reality star Vicky Pattison's experience in April, when she was barred from an easyJet flight to Italy due to her dog slightly damaging her passport. She had been planning her wedding with fiancé Ercan Ramadan but ended up having to reorder travel documents instead.
As more travelers report similar experiences, the consistency of airline policies regarding minor passport damage remains a contentious issue, raising questions about the need for standardized regulations across the industry.
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