Couple’s £1,800 bundle vacation left in tatters as their passports had been greater than 10 years previous

A pair’s £1,800 bundle vacation to Benidorm was left in tatters after they had been blocked from boarding a flight as a result of their passports had been greater than 10 years previous however didn’t expire for an additional 9 months. 

The husband and spouse from Nottingham had been halted at East Midlands Airport after reserving a 10-day journey that was meant to see them fly out with TUI. 

The airline, nevertheless, blocked Penny Priestly, 59, and her husband, Dug, from flying out, as their passports had been over 10 years previous – regardless of the actual fact they expire in February 2024.

Authorities guidelines presently ban British residents from travelling to any EU nation, besides Eire, if their passports had been issued greater than a decade after their date of journey.

Previous to September 2018, British passport holders had been ready so as to add as much as 9 months of ‘credit score’ onto a renewed 10-year passport, from a earlier passport. 

Penny Priestly, 59, (proper) and her husband Dug (left) had been blocked from boarding a flight to Benidorm as their passports had been greater than 10 years previous

This meant passports may very well be legitimate for a most time period of 10 years and 9 months. 

As such, though the couple’s passports had been nonetheless in date, they had been blocked from flying, attributable to extra stringent guidelines launched following Brexit. 

The brand new guidelines block British residents from travelling to all EU nations, aside from Eire, if their passports are greater than ten years previous.

The couple declare the airline didn’t make them conscious of the principles.

After arriving on the airport, the couple waited within the queue earlier than being instructed on the checkout that they might not be allowed to journey. 

‘We simply turned up and had been ready an hour within the queue,’ the couple instructed NottinghamshireLive. 

‘I feel we had been about fourth from final and the lady on the checkout mentioned to the opposite lady, are you able to examine these dates.’ 

‘She checked and mentioned no they cannot fly. Then a bloke came visiting, a supervisor or one thing, and he mentioned our solely various is to go to Jet2 and ask them if we are able to fly.’

The couple had been additionally instructed that if they’d departed for his or her vacation simply days earlier they might have been allowed on the aircraft as their passports had solely hit the 10-year mark on 13 Might. 

‘They mentioned if we had gone on Saturday we’d have been alright,’ the couple who tried to board their flight on Tuesday the 16 Might mentioned. 

UK authorities guidelines state anybody travelling to any EU nation aside from Eire should have a passport that’s newer than 10 years previous

The couple had been later in a position to go on their vacation at a later date – however solely after paying one other £860 to fly with Jet2. 

‘We paid one other £860 and Jet2 appeared into it and mentioned we might return with them and simply fly a method with them, however then a supervisor came visiting,’ Ms Priestly mentioned. 

‘He additionally mentioned we’d lose the lodge if my husband did not ring up, so we needed to ring the lodge up and inform them we had been coming a day later.’

Taking the flight with a rival service additionally meant the couple misplaced their proper to any airport transfers to their lodge. 

Ms Priestly has now pledged to by no means fly with TUI once more. ‘We’ll at all times use Jet 2 now, and even easyJet – they might fly us as effectively,’ she mentioned. 

Alongside EU nations, anybody travelling to Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican Metropolis should have a sound passport that was issued lower than 10 years earlier than the date they enter the nation.

A TUI spokesperson mentioned: ‘We’re sorry that Mr Priestly was unable to fly with TUI as deliberate as his passport didn’t meet the required authorities passport necessities.

‘Authorities guidelines state that for patrons travelling to sure EU nations, passports have to be issued lower than 10 years earlier than the date you enter the nation and should even be legitimate for not less than three months after the day you propose to go away. 

‘We strongly advise that our clients examine their passports are updated earlier than reserving any flights. Particulars of passport validity pointers will be discovered right here: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice’