Boy in tears when Ryanair prevents him from flying for dream family holiday – despite a legal passport

Eleven-yearwas an old boy left in tears after Ryanair prevented him from boarding a flight to Tenerife even though his passport had not yet expired for four more months. Airport officials said his passport had expired and did not comply. with new Brexit travel rules.

Riley McGuckin’s travel document has been issued in March 2017 and expires in September 2022. Brexit rules on Passports entering the EU states must be no older than 10 years and have a validity period of at least three months. left on return date of the passenger.

This means that the teenager’s passport is valid. for use to end of June. But Ryanair told Natasha Rae’s mom that Riley’s passport was more older than five years – recognizing it as invalid in EU.

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Riley was left in tears, apologizing to his sevenyear- old brother Barry, as he thought, “it was his fault” family couldn’t go on them holiday. Mom Natasha was careful in preparation for in holiday – Christmas gift from her own mother – after reading the latest horror stories of families denied flights post-Brexit.

She checked the passports of her partner Chris Bell and the boys. with passport office and FCDO before they left. They were furious when Riley was denied a flight at Glasgow Prestwick Airport.

Natasha told Record: “We arrived at the airport on Monday at 4 am to check-in for flight at 6am and the man at the counter said they needed to call Ryanair immigration. “After they got off on the phone they said that we could not fly because his passport was invalid and that it against law.

“We were completely devastated. Both of my sons were crying. Barry was not old enough to understand and was completely distraught.

“Riley was devastated because he thought it was all his fault that we couldn’t go on holiday and he apologized to his baby brother.”

family returned home to Falkirk before deciding chance their good luck at edinburgh airport and fly with other airline. Package holiday Jet2 welcomed all family on board and they have now successfully made them way in Tenerife – albeit after splashes out additional £600 for in new flights. Natasha claims for Ryanair’made up’children’s passport rule.

Natasha is looking for compensation from the airline for stress and more cost. She said, “I doubt that I can get money back – I just Don’t trust Ryanair at all now. Is not like I just 600 pounds lying around for Jet2 flights too. people save year round for This. This is our first big family holiday even before the pandemic and we were so excited.

“Ryanair has just made up your own rules. i will never fly with them again ever.”

representative for The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) stated that anyone who he was denied boarding with “no reasonable grounds” for this has the right compensation. Reimbursement should ask the airline first – then through an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme if the carrier does not resolve initial complaint. CAA didn’t say if it works with Ryanair’s ensure This rules we in line with law.

Ryanair’s statement acknowledges that mistake and confirmed family was granted full take back the money for unused flight.

The statement said: “Our immigration department has cleared up this case. with by the EU Commission, and we now acknowledge that our handling agents at Glasgow Prestwick Airport mistakenly believe that this child’s passport is not valid. for travel because they mistakenly believed that the child’s passport should not be more over 5 years old on the date of travel while in fact all UK citizens traveling to the EU, regardless of of age, must match the same entry requirements for trips to the EU, namely:

“1. Passports must be issued within 10 years. of the date of arrival the weight. 2. Passport must be valid for at least three months from the date of return of travel from the EU if the passenger does not have a Schengen residence permit or a long-term Schengen agreement. term visa.

“AT light of This clear error on on our part, we wrote to him family and gave them full take back the money of £313.79 cost of their unused flights and as a gesture of good will we have also gave them a travel voucher for another £315 which we hope they use to book more Ryanair flights for in family in Very close future. We sincerely apologize for in error we made in this case and we have updated our information notes for all our airport handling agents to ensure This error does not repeat.”

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