The passport rule that airline staff keep getting wrong

WorldTravel
15 Jul 2025 • 3:45 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • EasyJet wrongly denied a British woman, Louise McMahon, boarding for a flight from Glasgow to Paris on June 28.
  • Staff incorrectly claimed her passport was invalid, citing a non-existent rule about needing “three months before the 10 years” instead of being valid for at least three months and being issued within the last 10 years.
  • The incident ruined her 50th birthday trip, costing the family £1,975 in non-refundable flights and hotel.
  • EasyJet has since apologised, fully reimbursed the family for their losses, and paid denied boarding compensation to all four members.
  • This incident highlights a recurring problem of EasyJet staff misinterpreting passport validity rules, despite the airline clarifying the correct regulations in 2022.

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