A couple’s vacation plans to the Canary Islands turned into a nightmare due to a misunderstanding of post-Brexit passport regulations. Grant Hardy and his wife faced travel disruption when an airport official in Guernsey rejected Grant’s passport, despite it being valid for their trip to Tenerife, Spain. Grant’s passport, issued in March 2015 and expiring in October of the current year, had more than the required eight months of validity post-return.
Despite meeting the necessary criteria, the couple was stranded in Jersey as a Swissport staff member erroneously deemed Grant’s passport unsuitable for travel. This led to the cancellation of their holiday, costing them approximately £4,000, which their travel insurance did not cover.
Grant expressed his disappointment with Swissport’s handling of the situation, highlighting that despite his compliance with regulations, they refused to acknowledge his documentation and even involved the police when he requested to record their interaction.
Swissport defended their decision, stating they adhere to official travel document guidelines to ensure compliance with destination entry restrictions. Meanwhile, Grant revealed that similar incidents have occurred, citing another family’s ordeal at Gatwick Airport where Norwegian Airlines misinterpreted the passport validity rules.
Travelers are advised to confirm their passport validity and entry requirements for their destination through the official UK Government website. Different countries have varying validity rules, with some mandating at least six months of validity from the departure date. It is crucial to check issue and expiry dates well in advance, especially for passports issued over a decade ago, as they may not be recognized post-Brexit due to the ’10-year rule.’
Individuals with burgundy passports, though no longer issued post-Brexit, are valid for travel until 2025 if in date. Checking the validity of such passports before travel plans is strongly recommended to avoid disruptions.