EasyJet falsely denies boarding, costing passenger £1,500
- EasyJet wrongly turns away passenger due to false claims on British passport expiration post Brexit.
- Passenger incurs £1,500 cost as a result of EasyJet's mistake in denying boarding.
- The incident raises concerns about misinformation and its consequences in air travel.
On April 9, 2024, Jacqueline McGeough and her daughter were flying from Edinburgh to Naples for a holiday in Italy. Jacqueline's British passport was issued on May 12, 2014, and expires on August 12, 2024. She was told her passport wasn't valid for travel because it was issued more than 10 years ago. This caused them to lose nearly £1,500 on the trip. The reason for the confusion was that Jacqueline's passport was still valid for travel to the European Union. A British citizen can visit the EU up to 10 years after the passport was issued, as long as they enter before its 10th anniversary and have at least three months' validity left. Despite this, easyJet denied Jacqueline boarding, claiming her passport had expired. Jacqueline felt humiliated and upset about missing their holiday due to this misunderstanding. She believed easyJet was avoiding responsibility by not admitting their mistake. This situation arose because after Brexit, airlines like easyJet and Ryanair wrongly enforced rules regarding passport validity, despite being informed of the correct EU policy by The Independent. The issue highlighted the importance of understanding passport validity rules when traveling, especially after significant policy changes like Brexit. It also emphasized the need for airlines to stay updated with accurate information to avoid inconveniencing passengers.