Passport is valid but the airline says ‘no’ – what to do next on Simon Calder

“We are very sorry for our customer experience that after an error by one of our colleagues, it meant that they were refusing to travel incorrectly” – so British Airways says, followed Ground staff ruined another holiday by inventing their own rules on passport validity,

In September 2025, BA distanced Chris Taylor and his wife Kathy from their flight from London Heathro to Palma. The airline employees used to urge so much that the couple had unqualified trave documents that they had gone on a 200 mile round trip to renew their passport-only the documents were completely valid.

This Ezizet, Britain’s largest budget is a similar story with the airline, whose employees Brexit passports appear dangerously unknown even after rulesEven keeping in mind a large number of passengers that the Ezizet Handle, the airline, especially finds prone to unnecessarily ruin the holidays of the people – such as 50th birthday family trip to Paris,

Four years from the post-Brexit Due to the passport rules being effective, the travel firms are unnecessary upset and spending for those who are fully documented to travel.

What should you do if this happens to you? It is a step-by-step guide.

Learn the rules

Decided to leave after Britain European Union And the British passport holders make the “citizens of the third country” with Americans, Australian, Venezuela and Samoan, Passport UK passengers Two conditions should be met,

Many people are going in the right manner Got away – usually to violate the first of these situations. If your passport has its 10th birthday since the ongoing date, then you are no longer eligible to travel European Union (Except for Ireland) or broad Schengen region – including Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.

But some people working in unnecessary travel industry emphasize that no British passports are valid for the European Union visits when they reach nine years and nine months from the date of the issue. Although this is a case for UK passports released for exactly 10 years, are valid for several months.

Outside the Schengen region, any other country is not interested in the date of your passport issue; They only see the expiration date.

For other countries, rules on passports vary widelyThere is no minimal validity of several major destinations for British passengers, including Australia, Canada, Mexico, Tunisia and America. Others require six months before the expiration.

I know that my passport is valid but the airline says that it is not

This is an extremely stressful and disturbing situation for any passenger. It is made more difficult to all because these mistakes are usually made while boarding, resting with minutes. And if someone working in a aviation is telling you that you are wrong, then it is difficult to prove otherwise.

But please be humble and respectable at all times. If a member of the ground staff incorrectly states that your legitimate passport is not acceptable, then it is not the only responsibility of the wrong person – a serious management is clearly a serious management by the airline.

What are my options if I am challenged?

If the time allows and you have a smartphone for the hand, attract the focus of the staff member to the official foreign office guidance (search (search) FCDO Plus for admission requirements your destination name).

You can also refer to them for 28 and 29 pages of the Schengen region Practical handbook for border guardWhich makes the rules double.

Try, if you like, link This interpreter from independentYou can also indicate the cost of the airline of the wrongly denying boarding: minimum £ 220 in cash compensation, as well as additional expenses started accidentally.

Ask a supervisor to consult. In all the lots of cases, however, the supervisor with the wrong ground staff – again, disclosing large performance management issues. In a recent case, the Ground Staff Supervisor referred to an iPad that appeared repeating the wrong answer.

Unfortunately, if a member of the airline staff says that you are not going on the aircraft, you all can accept the decision and plan your next step.

But I am traveling with family/friends …

If you are traveling with others, and they do not decide to fly, there is no guarantee that they will be given financial compensation. Whether the matter went to court, however, a judge could conclude well that the airline is responsible for the cost of the entire party.

Initially in this latest event, the Easyzet refused to provide compensation to family members, arguing that they could continue with Paris’s birthday visit – even if the person whose 50th it was denied boarding was denied.

what happens next?

Ideally the error would have been on the bag drop instead of the departure gate. In this case, you can immediately try to re -book on another airline, whose employees understand the passport rules.

Mostly, however, such problems are made at the departure gate. In this case you will need to escape from the “airide” to the international arrival area, rebuild any checking items on the way.

While this happens, use your smartphone to see what other flights are available to your destination – ideally, of course, from the same airport.

Whatever cost, the airline that has wrongly removed you, you will need to reimburse. If only business class seats are available, then take a screenshot to provide evidence when challenged, but go ahead and buy.

As long as you are convinced that your passport is valid, do not try to get an appointment for emergency renewal. There is no need, and it will only complicate cases.

Once you reach your destination, you can enjoy the remaining enjoyment of your journey.

Budget airlines like Easyjet If you do not take an outbound flight, do not automatically cancel the inbound leg, but other carriers can do so – you have to check. If the return leg is canceled, you have to buy another ticket house.

How do I go about claiming?

This should be a direct case of contacting the airline’s customer service team and supplying the necessary evidence: booking reference, scan of your passport photo page to prove that it was valid, and receipts for additional costs.

You are entitled to reimbursement of the financial deficit caused by the travel firm, plus – in case of a flight – cash compensation between £ 220 and £ 520, depending on the length of the journey.

Sadly, airlines, especially the especially the cases of the Easyzet, have been reported, doubling on contact – the passenger is wrong to emphasize and the ground staff is correct.

I do not recommend going into an alternative dispute solution (ADR) because I have seen a lot of examples that are also misunderstanding many examples of assistants.

You may need to go on a claim of money to recover whatever you are outstanding – although before doing so, send a letter before action to indicate your intentions.

What action is taken against the airline?

nobody. Under the current law, there is no penalty for the carrier beyond the rainplace and is compensated to deny boarding the wrongly, nor to dismiss valid claims.

What about compensation to be unnecessarily disturbing unnecessarily?

This is unlikely to be upcoming, although a contrasting journey firm may choose to offer you a compatible journey for their error.

Will travel insurance help?

It should not be necessary to claim your insurance, as the travel firm is fully responsible. However, you may be able to claim for odd £ 50 either for the arrival of delay.

I paid a luck to renew my passport as the travel firm wrongly said that I needed to do so. Can I claim?

Yes. Under the Consumer Rights Act, companies should work with “proper care and skills”. I misunderstand the passport rules of the European Union – four years later I told them what were the conditions – do not indicate too much professionalism.

For example, Tui -Uorope’s biggest holiday company-Need to a customer on its official advice page: “You no longer get additional months due to the rule of 10 years, so your passport will be 10 years from the date of the termination point, so that it will not be 02.11.25 and 02.05.26 as is printed on your passport.” after Independent Intervened, false information was renewed.

How long will these cases live?

I am afraid that by September 2028 – valid UK passports for more than a decade were released after 10 years of passport.