
Margaret McAndrew, a 70-year-old grandmother from East Kilbride, has described her harrowing ordeal after being detained and forcibly removed from Morocco despite having what she believed was a valid passport for her holiday.
The Dream Holiday That Turned Into a Nightmare
Margaret had been eagerly anticipating her week-long getaway to Marrakech, having booked the trip through loveholidays to celebrate time away with friends. "I was so excited," she recalled. "It was supposed to be a wonderful break in the sun."
However, her excitement quickly turned to terror upon arrival at Marrakech Airport. Border officials detained her, claiming her passport was invalid due to the placement of an entry stamp from a previous trip to Israel.
Hours of Uncertainty and Fear
"They took my passport and just said 'you cannot come in'," Margaret explained. "I was absolutely terrified. They put me in a detention room with metal benches and I was there for hours without proper explanation."
The distressed grandmother was denied access to food, water, or communication with her travelling companions or family back home. "I've never been so frightened in my life," she admitted.
The Traumatic Deportation Process
After extensive delays, Margaret was escorted onto a flight back to the UK by security personnel. "They marched me through the airport like a criminal," she described. "I was sobbing uncontrollably by this point."
To add insult to injury, the airline initially tried to charge her £215 for the return flight, though this was eventually waived after intervention from her travel company.
Seeking Answers and Compensation
Since returning to Scotland, Margaret has been battling for compensation and answers. Loveholidays has offered a £150 gesture of goodwill and is investigating the incident with their ground handler in Morocco.
"I just want to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else," Margaret stated. "No elderly person should have to go through what I experienced."
The Foreign Office has confirmed they provided assistance to a British national in Morocco and continue to offer support, though specific passport requirements remain the responsibility of individual travellers to verify before departure.