A couple’s dream of a £1,000 holiday weekend in Athens was dashed due to the post-Brexit “passport 10-year rule”, which caught them off guard. The previous allowance for UK travellers to transfer up to nine months from an old passport to a new one no longer stands with EU countries, which now reject passports issued over a decade ago.
Paul Mason, 59, and Zoe Rooney, 47, were brimming with excitement for their three-day break in Athens, where they planned to attend a concert by Kosheen, celebrating their 25th anniversary, a gig booked for December 2024. Their anticipation turned to dismay at Stanstead on Thursday, February 20, when Zoe was barred from boarding because her passport, despite having an August 2025 expiry date, was issued more than ten years prior.
The Hertfordshire duo from Hertford missed out on their inaugural trip to Greece, along with the chance to see their beloved band. They reported being more than £1,000 down following the incident.
Zoe, who works as a quantity surveyor, detailed their expenses: £465 on accommodation, £408 on return flights, £108 on airport parking, £50 on petrol for the drive to the airport, £50 on airport dining, and £60 on tickets for the concert. Paul, a project director, expressed their frustration: “It made us feel like criminals.”
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He recounted their experience: “When we had booked our flights online, nothing flagged us to say that her passport was invalid. We thought everything was alright; we made it through check-in and security before it was pointed out to us. It was only when we were minutes from boarding our flight that we were told we couldn’t fly.”, reports Bristol Live.
“We were in the queue when a guy from Ryanair stopped us. They didn’t offer any solution to the situation apart from to ‘get a new passport’, so we had to head home.”
Zoe, who was looking forward to her Greek getaway, found herself in a bind due to an obscure passport rule that left her and her travel companion unable to board their flight. Despite her passport not expiring until August 9, 2025, having been issued on November 19, 2014, it fell foul of EU regulations which dictate that passports must be less than 10 years old from the date of issue for entry into certain countries, including Greece – though Ireland is exempt.
Moreover, the passport must remain valid for three months beyond the intended stay.
Caught off guard by this regulation, Zoe admitted: “had no idea bout the rule,” describing the moment they were singled out at the boarding gate as “It was very embarrassing when we were called out in front of everybody outside our boarding gate.”
The disappointment was palpable as she recounted: “To have prepared for this trip for weeks and ready to go down to the airplane – to then be turned away was very upsetting. We had to spend, what was supposed to be a fun time exploring a new city, at home in bed.”
Now in the midst of renewing her passport, Zoe’s misfortune has motivated her to raise awareness about this “little known” rule to ensure other holidaymakers don’t face similar setbacks. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Ryanair clarified the airline’s position, stating: “Passport must meet the requirements for travel from the UK to the EU, which are set out by the European Commission Migration and Home Affairs Office – not Ryanair.
“Passports must be issued within 10 years of the date of departure into the EU [and] it is each passenger’s responsibility to ensure that their passport is valid for travel in line with the relevant State requirements at the time of travel. These requirements are clearly set out on Ryanair.com, and passengers are reminded with pop-up messages during booking.”
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/travel-tourism/ryanair-warning-couple-turned-away-31192691
