image source, mike merchant
Jane and her partner were refused entry at the boarding gate at Gatwick Airport.
Disappointed holidaymakers whose EU travel plans were ruined by the 10-year passport rule have told the BBC.
Those who were unaware of the change were turned away at passport control.
While some travelers were able to rebook their trips, no one we spoke to received a refund.
“I was escorted through the airport like a criminal.”
Jane Overfer, 61, from London, said she was “traumatized” at Gatwick Airport in February when she and her partner were told they would not be able to board a flight to Barcelona, despite checking in online. .
“As I was walking along the bridge to get to my boarding gate, I was telling my partner that I had to renew my passport immediately. It was very stressful to have to escort her through the airport like a criminal. It was humiliating,” she said. she said.
Jane used to live in Barcelona and was traveling to see friends, but she and her partner had to change their travel plans, leaving them with hundreds of pounds out of pocket.
The architect spent around £400 on last-minute replacement flights and priority passports.
She said the passport issue was a “technical issue” that the airline should have been able to address.
“I think I was lucky that I was on vacation and it wasn’t an emergency visit like a funeral.
“As someone who used to live in Spain, I am angry that I can no longer go there as easily as I used to,” she added.
“At first I thought she was joking.”
Lara Barnes and her husband lost 1,200 pounds, half of which was a Christmas present from their son.
Isle of Man-based Lara Barnes, 57, was due to travel to Mallorca in October last year, but her husband was refused boarding and she lost the £1,200 she had spent on the holiday.
“There was no reason to believe the passport was invalid,” she said. “At first I thought the check-in lady was joking.”
She said staff at Liverpool Airport “told us this was the first ruling since Brexit and we needed to know better”.
“It was disappointing for us because our son paid for half of his vacation as a Christmas present.”
The couple were planning to go on a cruise next January, and had all the paperwork ready to renew their passports when they returned from Mallorca.
Are you affected by the 10-year rule?
- Check if your passport was issued before September 2018
- Has the 10th anniversary already passed? Even with several months left before it takes effect, her travel to all EU countries except Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland is invalid.
- If you are traveling to these countries, you will need a passport issued within 10 years of your departure date.
- If your passport is invalid, you can try an emergency reservation online at your local passport office, which offers 1-day and 1-week fast-track services.
- Otherwise, your passport can be renewed online at the Royal Passport Office or using a paper application form at certain post offices.
- It may take up to 3 weeks to renew your British passport
“Unfair and illogical judgment”
John, 73, a healthcare worker based near Portsmouth, had planned to fly to Tenerife in January for a New Year's holiday with friends. Only at the last moment did he find out that his wife's passport was “in violation of the 10-year rule.”
He called the rule “ridiculous” and said he had received zero warning or interest from the companies he booked with.
“I lost a lot of money when I booked with TUI. They take care of my flights and hotels. That's it. I lose a lot of money because I can't get on the plane. It's just a trick.
“The entire burden of this problem falls on the individual traveler. Travel companies have your money, they can pay off the airlines and hotels who may be able to resell the tickets and accommodations. But even if you can't do that, they're still $5.
“There is no incentive for anyone to rectify this unfair and illogical ruling as travel companies also have a share,” John said.
A TUI spokesperson told the BBC: “We are sorry to hear about some of our customers who were unable to travel with TUI as planned due to UK Government passport requirements.”
It added: “Customers are given full warning, through our website and direct customer communications such as booking confirmations, that their passports must comply with UK Government passport requirements when traveling abroad. ” he added.
Howard was shocked to learn that he was able to travel to the US but not the EU.
“We lost about 2,000 pounds on the Mediterranean cruise.”
Last April, Howard Killane and his wife tried to check in at Southampton port but their passports were not valid. They both had to unload their belongings from the ship and return to their homes in Portsmouth.
“I contacted the ombudsman and my bank to get my money back, but they just said it was up to me to do with my passport. It was very expensive,” said the 69-year-old.
The couple lost all the money they had spent on their Mediterranean cruise trip – nearly £2,000.
“We could have traveled to the United States, but we couldn't travel across the ocean,” Howard added.
He said he applied for a new passport that night and it arrived two weeks later.
“It felt like someone pulled the battery out of your back.”
As Nottingham resident Jacalyn Lee pointed out, confusion over passport issue dates and EU travel is nothing new.
In autumn 2021, the 79-year-old lost £2,000 while on a cruise from Barcelona to the Canary Islands after being told at the airport that her husband's passport was issued more than 10 years ago.
The couple had to cancel their trip and were unable to claim insurance for their airline tickets or cruise.
“It felt like someone had pulled the battery out of your back. You didn't know how to react. I was like, 'Oh, okay, let's go home.'”
“We immediately booked another vacation just to get it out of our system. It was all done,” she recalled.
Jacaline contacted the cruise line before the trip and gave the travel agent her and her husband's passport details, but there were no problems.
“I tried to get my money back but the insurance company didn't want to know about it. Now £2,000 would have paid for gas and electricity, which is a lot for retirees like us. “You will be exposed,” she said.
A government spokesperson told the BBC: “Following the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020, we have launched an information campaign to help UK travelers prepare for changes such as passport rules when visiting Europe. .
“The government's online travel advice for EU countries sets out requirements and is constantly reviewed to ensure UK travelers have accurate information to help plan their travels. We advise people not to book a trip without a passport to meet their travel needs.”
Additional reporting by Emma Pengelly
