When Laila March rocked up to Gatwick Airport last week after months of dreaming of her 2024 summer vacation, she believed nothing could possibly stand in the way of her landing on Cancun's bright white beach.
Less than an hour later, her hopes of some much-needed time basking in the Mexican sun with her sister Kaemarnie, were dashed by airport staff, who informed her there was an issue with her passport.
The 25-year-old private tutor was under the impression she'd bagged a 'cheap deal' with TUI by booking the transatlantic trip she had, being that it was less than £1,000 per person for travel and accommodation to the tropical central American hotspot.
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The Croydon-based sister duo had hoped to finally blow off some team, with Kaemarnie having graduated from university in the days earlier.
"It was the first time we were going on holiday just the two of us," Laila said.
Exciting to jet off, the pair arrived at the London airport's North Terminal two-hours earlier than necessary, hoping to bag some free time in duty-free before their flight departed.
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It was upon arriving at TUI's check-in desk, however, that the assistant scanned their passports, only to deal Laila the heartbreaking (and later, decidedly unfounded) blow - she wouldn't be permitted to fly.
After closer inspection, the TUI representative claimed that a mark found on the corner of the photo page of her passport would invalidate her ability to travel.
Recalling her frustrating conversation with the travel assistant, Laila explained: "She was like, ‘What’s happened to your passport? What’s this mark on it?’.
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"Apparently there was a slight mark on the photo page, but it wasn’t over any of the details and you could still read everything."
According to the UK's passport office, a passport is considered damaged if 'you cannot read any of your details, any of the pages are ripped, cut or missing, there are holes, cuts or rips in the cover, the cover is coming away or there are stains on the pages, for example ink or water damage'.
And one day earlier, Laila had travelled home from Morocco where she'd been for work - and her passport had not been an issue.
"She called someone who took my passport and disappeared for half an hour, even though I explained, I flew into this airport yesterday and have travelled many times in the past year." she said.
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"It was a very small mark, almost like a little scratch on the right hand side of the page but you would have to look very carefully to see it – I hadn’t even noticed until they pointed it out."
Just a little less than an hour later, she informed by TUI that she couldn't board the plane.
"They said Mexico has really strict passport control so I might not be let into the country." she continued to say.
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"According to them, my passport was damaged so they couldn’t allow me to fly with TUI because if I get to Mexico and they send me back, it’s going to be a charge for them."
The tutor claimed she was subsequently given three options by airline staff; she could apply for an emergency passport (which would arrive a few days later, shaving time off of her holiday), change the booking name and allow another passenger to take her place, or chance it with another airline and purchase a new ticket.
She was left even further baffled after TUI staff reportedly informed her that a British Airways flight was soon to be setting off, and recommended that she speak to one of their representatives.
"But you’ve just said that my passport was damaged, how can you recommend I use another airline?," Laila recalled. "Ultimately, I had to find a way."
After then travelling to another terminal and pleading her case with a member of staff, she was told she'd be permitted to fly with BA that very same day.
"I told them what TUI had said and he was like ‘that’s not damaged, go speak to British Airways and see what they say’," she said. "‘I don’t see why they wouldn’t let you board’."
The only downside? The brand new ticket would set Laila back £1,200 just for the flights - which was money she'd been saving to put towards her upcoming postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) at Cambridge University, where she was to study in September to become a French and Spanish teacher.
Reluctantly, she coughed up the money and landed in Mexico, where she says she had no problem clearing customs.
"I think it’s just insane that TUI can say my passport is damaged and not allow me to board for fear I’m not going to be allowed into Mexico by passport control," she said.
"And then for another airline to have no issue with the same passport, let me fly to Mexico and then I get through passport control."
After subsequently raising the issue with TUI in the hope of receiving a full or partial refund for the new ticket, the holiday-package firm agreed to reimburse her.
A representative from the company said in a statement: "We’re sorry to hear Ms March was unable to travel with TUI as planned due to the damage on her passport.
"Customers are informed by email, and on our website, at the time of booking and prior to travel that UK Government’s passport requirements must be followed.
"We strongly advise that customers check their passports are damage free as if there is any concern a passenger could be denied entry to their destination, they will be denied travel at the discretion of our check-in team.
"Details of passport validity can be found here: www.gov.uk/renew-adult-passport/replace".
Rhianna Benson