easyJet response after passport blunder on European flight
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An airline giant has issued a statement after a passport blunder led to a woman being turned away from a flight to Amsterdam.
An easyJet passenger was wrongly told her passport was invalid for travel to the European Union.
As reported by The Independent, Karen Woodhouse was due to fly to Amsterdam with her family when she was turned away over concerns about her passport's validity.
Read more: Majorca to copy Ibiza with new ban
easyJet issued apology and committed to compensating her for the alternative flight she had to take.
An easyJet spokesperson commented: "We are very sorry that Ms Woodhouse was incorrectly denied boarding on her flight from London Stansted to Amsterdam on 9 April. The guidance was not correctly followed and so we are looking into this with our ground handling partner at London Stansted airport."
Ms Woodhouse's passport met all the necessary criteria for 'third-country nationals', including the 10-year rule and the three-month rule.
The 10-year rule requires British passport holders to prove their passport was issued less than 10 years before the day they enter the European Union. The three-month rule stipulates that British passports must be valid for at least three months after the day travellers plan to leave the European Union.
The passport satisfied both these conditions and was valid for travel out of the European Union until June 1, 2025. However, easyJet staff incorrectly stated that her passport needed to have three months left until it was 10 years old.
Consequently, Ms Woodhouse was unable to fly with her family and had to wait until the next day to fly to Amsterdam with KLM. She encountered no issues with her passport the following day.
However, confusion around post-Brexit passport rules isn't new. In December 2024, another British couple encountered problems due to the 10-year passport rule.
British citizens who held the old burgundy passports or those issued before September 2018, could once count on their passports being valid for an extra nine months past the standard 10 years, courtesy of a policy which has since been discontinued. This grace period was intended as a cushion for those with passports nearing expiry.
Consequently, Paul Mason and his partner Zoe Rooney were forced to abandon their plans to visit Athens when Rooney was barred access at a Stansted boarding gate. Although her passport indicated an expiration of August 2025, it was considered invalid because it was over ten years old.
The couple from Hertfordshire were left disappointed as they missed their maiden trip to Greece and a chance to see their favourite band, Kosheen. The unfortunate event has cost them over £1,000.
Rooney disclosed that they had spent £465 on accommodation, £408 on return flights, £108 on airport parking, £50 on fuel for the journey to the airport, £50 on food and drinks at the airport, and £60 on concert tickets.
A warning is now being issued to British passport holders, especially those still holding burgundy passports, to ensure their passport is valid for travel into the European Union and Schengen Zone. The 10-year rule does not apply for travel to Ireland.
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