A British traveller was denied boarding a flight to Thailand because of a novelty stamp in her passport commemorating a visit to Machu Picchu. Tina Sibley, a resident of Spain, attempted to check in for a Qatar Airways flight from Madrid to Phuket via Doha but was told the stamp would lead to rejection by Thai authorities.
The stamp was applied by a Peruvian official in August 2019 during her visit to the ancient Inca site. Ms Sibley also had a stamp from Vinicunca national park. Despite her passport being valid, Qatar Airways staff refused to let her board, forcing her to abandon the trip and seek a hotel.
The next day, the British Embassy in Madrid declined to issue a replacement passport, stating it was valid. They advised her to explain the situation to Qatar Airways or fly with another carrier. She returned to the airport but found customer services closed. After hours of waiting, both Qatar Airways and Emirates told her she could not travel.
Ms Sibley eventually obtained an emergency passport from the British Embassy, but Qatar Airways required an additional €600 (£525) to board. She reached Thailand in time for the wedding but estimated the incident cost £1,000 in extra expenses, plus two lost days.
The Foreign Office warns that damaged passports or those with missing pages may lead to refusal of entry to Thailand, but does not specifically mention novelty stamps. Qatar Airways and the Thai Embassy declined to comment.
