A mother has shared a warning over a passport mistake that left her devastated and ruined her family holiday.
Wendy and Gerry Melville, from Bedford, had booked a trip to Crete with their two children Henry, 16, and Kate, 13.
But the cheerful family holiday went wrong before they had even boarded the plane.
They headed to Luton Airport for 4am on October 26 to check in for their 6am flight and soon encountered a problem.
When Wendy checked her bags in, the machine asked her to speak with a member of staff.
‘I thought it was just a tech issue – I wasn’t panicking,’ she recalls, as per Manchester Evening News.
‘Then they told me my passport expires within the next few months and they were really sorry but couldn’t let me on.’
The mother-of-two had been caught out by the three-month passport rule.
Wendy and Gerry Melville, from Bedford, had booked a trip to Crete with their two children Henry, 16, and Kate, 13
The mother-of-two had been caught out by the three-month passport rule
For travellers jetting off around Europe and Schengen countries, their passport must be valid for at least three months after the holidaymaker’s planned return date. according to the Post Office.
In Wendy’s case, her passport was due to expire in January 2026.
She recalled how she felt ‘absolutely gutted’ and was ‘in tears’ over the mistake.
In the end, Wendy decided to remain in the UK and acquire a new passport while her husband and children went to Crete.
She managed to book a passport appointment two days later and spent £250 on the new document.
The Brit also had to cough up £106 for a hotel and £86 for another flight.
After the ordeal was resolved, Wendy joined Gerry, Henry and Kate on the third day of the family holiday.
She reflected: ‘It ended up being an expensive mistake and I had to wait four hours for my new passport.
After the ordeal was resolved, Wendy joined Gerry, Henry and Kate on the third day of the family holiday
‘I’d never heard of the rule. Your passport is valid but you can’t use it – it’s bonkers.’
It comes after Meghan Law, 33, from Aberdeen, was due to fly to Phuket for a two-week break with her two children in the beginning of October.
But as the family were about to board their plane from Edinburgh Airport, the mother was informed by Qatar Airways check-in staff that they had spotted an issue with her son’s passport and that he would not be permitted to fly.
According to Meghan, staff claimed 13-year-old Alix’s passport was ‘damaged’ due to a ‘luggage sticker mark’ they had found on one page.
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Mum’s warning over passport mistake that left her devastated and ruined her family holiday
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