I was refused on the plane because of a tiny detail on my passport

Jake, 19, was ready to board a flight to spend New Year's Eve with his parents but the airline didn't let him pass.

Leah Goulis

2 min read

January 2, 2024 - 9:14AM

The 19yo traveller wasn't allowed on the plane because of the tear on his passport. Image: Supplied

Lifestyle

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It was meant to be a dream holiday - ringing in the New Year with his parents - but a tiny found on Jake Burton's passport ruined his travel plans.

The 19-year-old Mansfield, Nottinghamshire local was all set for an eight-day family holiday to Benidorm, Spain when the budget airline he was flying with refused his entry.

Jake was travelling with his parents Rachael and Chris when Ryanair staff discovered a tiny tear on the front page of his passport.

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The 19yo traveller wasn't allowed on the plane because of the tear on his passport. Image: Supplied

Not allowed to fly

Jake and his parents were stopped at the gate when the detail on his passport was discovered and while his parents were allowed on board, the family was forced to travel back through East Midlands Airport unable to continue with their planned holiday because of Jake's rejection.

"We had gone through all the checks but right at the very end, Ryanair turned us away," Rachael told The Sun.

"It was absolutely heartbreaking. It would have been one thing if he had been turned away at the first instance, but to get to the gate you start getting into holiday mode and it's just awful."

A simple passport mistake

According to Jake's parents, the holiday was to be his first time flying and while they're unsure how the tear happened, they assume it could've been done during a night out ahead of their fly-out date.

A simple mistake that ruined their plans for the festive period and one in which the airline showed no sympathy.

"The worst part was this woman wouldn't even look him in the eye when she told us no," Jake's mum shared.

"It was his first time flying, his first time going abroad. We were all devastated. We were going with friends and they had been trying to get us to Benidorm for years."

The tear was tiny but the implications were big. Image: Supplied

With their holiday plans on ice, the family claims they are set to lose close to $2000 (£1,067.64).

"I don't think we'll be able to get our money back, as they told us we could fly, but we're hoping we can at least get something back for Jake," his mum added.

"He thinks it's his fault. He's so sorry. He hasn't come out of his bedroom. I think this has put him off flying for life."

The hotel they were booked to stay at has not charged them but the mistake serves as a harsh reminder for anyone travelling to double-check that their passport is in perfect order.