10-year EU passport rule which could cost you your holiday

A British holidaymaker lost her £1,050 dream break because of a little-known EU rule about passport issue dates.

Kirsty Hawes, 28, had booked an all-inclusive holiday to Mallorca, Spain, with her best friend.

Teacher Kirsty had made sure to check her passport’s expiry date – which was due to expire in March 2024 and arrived at Luton airport on August 16.

However, she was stunned to be told she couldn’t fly because her passport was issued on August 15, 2013 – 10 years and a day previously.

Before Brexit, Brits could travel up to and including the expiry date on their passports.

“I was panicking and burst into tears. This was the one thing I was looking forward to all year.” (Image: SWNS)

But EU regulations now mean a UK passport holder wanting to visit Europe needs a passport which was issued within the previous 10 years.

Kirsty “had no idea” of this rule and said it wasn’t made clear when booking through TUI – although admits it was in the small print on a confirmation email.

She has been told she can’t get a refund for her £1,050 holiday but wants to make other people aware of this new rule.

Kirsty wants travel providers to change their booking pages to include the date of issue for the passport to flag up passports that would be invalid.

Kirsty, from Bovingdon, Hertfordshire, said: “They took our passports and said you can’t fly. I thought it was a joke.

“But they were serious and said my passport was out of date. I said ‘no it’s not – it doesn’t run out for seven months’.

“I was panicking and burst into tears. This was the one thing I was looking forward to all year.”

Her friend had booked the holiday on behalf of the two of them in April and added in their passport number and expiry date in the booking form – but not the issue dates.

The friends turned up at Luton airport at 3.30pm on August 16, 2023, ready for their flight but when they went to drop their bags off Kirsty was told she couldn’t fly.

She said: “They said you can’t fly and can’t get your money back.”

Kirsty found out her passport was 10 years and a day passed the issue date – despite the expiry date not being for another seven months.

She convinced her friend to go out alone but is “distraught” that she has had to miss out.

Kirsty hopes travel providers can make it clearer when booking of the new rules since Brexit so others don’t have the same happen to them.

She said: “Holiday companies need to add an issue date of passport onto their websites when booking and checking in so this will raise the issue so people are not left stranded at the airport, crying their eyes out.”

TUI have been approached for comment.