A holidaymaker claims she could not fly with TUI because her passport was due to expire in nine months time. Despite checking in online and filling in her passport details without any red flags, Dene Jeffery was given the devastating news she could not take the flight due to her passport's expiry in November 2023.
Husband, disabled Frederick Jeffery, said the airline told him it could face a £5,000 fine if the passport raised a problem when they landed in Greece, and it was down to "Brexit Rules". But the flabberglasted couple, from Bilborough, were determined to fly to Greece to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.
And there came the dramatic twist in the tale - once the Passport Office confirmed in a frantic phone call from the couple Dene could not fly - the couple say they were subsequently able to fly with Jet2 instead.
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So Mr Jeffery bought flights with Jet2, from Manchester on the same day, May 18, this year. The couple, who have since decided to speak out about the issues encountered, said their flights from East Midlands Airport had already cost them £560 return - and their insurance did not cover them because it was a "technical issue about a passport".
TUI has told Nottinghamshire Live since Brexit, according to Government Policy, your passport must have been issued within 10 years of the date of travel. The 10-year rule is not a TUI policy, but a government requirement, according to the holidaymaker.
Their new one-way flights for two with Jet2 set them back £310 with baggage, plus £150 spent on a taxi from East Midlands Airport to Manchester International. The couple made it to Manchester just in time, with Jet2 in Manchester accepting Mrs Jeffery's passport, and off they jetted for some sun.
Her passport, issued 10 years and nine months ago, was accepted without a problem and the couple breezed through Customs at Santorini Airport (JTR). They later caught a ferry to the stunning island of los where they did some sightseeing and enjoyed some much-needed R & R for two weeks.
Ironically, on their return, they flew back on June 1 this year on their TUI tickets without question.
How was Mrs Jeffery allowed back into the UK without her "expired" passport? TUI has confirmed that UK Government policy allows British citizens to enter the country with proof of citizenship or right of abode in the UK. A passport that endorses a passenger as a “British Citizen” is considered such proof, even after expiry.
However, the reason why Dene's passport was accepted with Jet 2 remain unclear.
Looking back on the debacle, Mrs Jeffery described the service from TUI as "shocking".
The 57-year-old told Nottinghamshire Live: "TUI issued our boarding cards, checked our passports and, while submitting online as per their process, still refused us travel, saying my passport was out of date. Yet they let me fly home on it - but according to them my passport was out of date.
"They said 'no' they could not let my wife fly but I could fly"
"We had to book with JET2, who allowed me to fly. We had to get a taxi from East Midlands Airport, with no help from TUI."
Mrs Jeffery is a tram driver for NET, and her 80-year-old diabetic husband has bad arthritis in his left knee and cannot walk far, and is recovering from cancer. He told how they gave their passport details to TUI online and they printed off their boarding cards before setting off and, as back-up, Mr Jeffery had the details on an App on his phone.
"We got to check-in and through to the desk for our baggage to be weighed," explained Mr Jeffery.
"They said 'no' they could not let my wife fly but I could fly. I'm 80 years old and my wife looks after me as well.
"For her to get a passport, she had to make an appointment. She phoned the passport office and they said 'they did not understand this, Mrs Jeffery, and why is TUI saying this?'"
HM Passport office then spoke in the same call to TUI check-in - TUI maintains it was following Government rules - and it was confirmed by the worker that TUI was right and his wife could not fly. TUI then told them, allegedly, they ought to try and see if they could fly out with Jet2.
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"I asked Jet2 if they would fly my wife out on this passport," said Mr Jeffery. "They phoned head office and they said, 'yes, of course'.
"TUI had said if you get stopped at customs in Greece, we get fined £5,000 [in light of the Brexit rules]. I went back to Jet2 and bought two tickets for £310 with baggage. If we hadn't had the money, we would not have had a holiday together".
He said "looking at it from all angles" her passport was valid but "she (on TUI check-in) explained the Brexit Rules". "It was a bit of a shock, a bit of a blow".
He stressed his wife had paid for the additional nine months on her passport - and should have been able to use those months of travel.
The couple are regulars in Greece and have been jetting to Ios for the last seven or eight years - and are a familiar face to customs staff due to their frequent visits.
While most people know their passports should be valid for at least three months after the day they plan to leave, there are extra requirements in place since Brexit. Your passport must also have been issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country.
Many travellers have been caught out because they think their passports are valid because they are not due to expire for some time.
Countries have their own rules on how long your passport needs to be valid for when you travel. Some want three months after your departure date, others six.
The impact of Brexit has seen changes to EU rules, with Brits warned by authorities to check their passports.
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A spokesperson for TUI said: "We’re sorry that Mrs Jeffrey was unable to fly with TUI as her passport did not meet the Government passport requirements. Government rules state that for customers travelling to certain EU countries, passports must be issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country and must also be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave. We strongly advise that our customers check their passports are up to date before booking any flights".
Details of passport validity guidelines can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
A spokesperson for Jet2.com said: “We are looking into this matter in more detail, however we can confirm that Mrs Jeffery’s passport was not due to expire for six months when she travelled on her well-deserved holiday to Santorini.”
Jet2's website advises: "As the UK is no longer part of the European Union, EU countries now require UK passports to be less than 10 years old and still be valid for at least three months at the time you're due to leave their country.
"To check your passport is valid for travel, ask the two questions for each person on your booking (including children) – if the answer is yes, you’re ready to go!
1. On the day you arrive into the EU, will your passport’s “Date of issue” be less than 10 years old?
2. On the day you leave the EU, will your passport have at least three months remaining (based on the “Date of expiry”)?
According to Gov.UK for Greece, the following advice is issued:
If you are planning to travel to an EU country (except Ireland), or Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City, you must follow the Schengen area passport requirements.
Your passport must be:
- issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the ‘date of issue’)
- valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’)
You must check your passport meets these requirements before you travel. If your passport was issued before 1 October 2018, extra months may have been added to its expiry date.
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