Dan Sharples, 41, his wife Laura, and their two sons from Widnes were left stranded at the gate at Liverpool John Lennon Airport on June 23, missing their holiday to Portugal. The family had booked the trip through Hays Travel earlier in the year and had handed over their passports to the travel agent for processing.
Passport Issue Discovered at the Gate
Although Dan, his wife, and their three-year-old son were cleared to travel, the passport of their nine-year-old son Spencer was deemed invalid. Though the document had not expired, it was within three months of its expiry date, a rule that renders UK passports invalid for travel to EU countries since Brexit.
Dan said: "We booked with Hays Travel and they took all our passports. It was all entered and nothing was ever flagged up. At bag drop they examined our passports and never said anything. But when we went to board the plane, they refused us boarding. We were right at the gate and had to wait until everyone else had boarded while we were taken back out."
EU Entry Rules Changed After Brexit
Since the UK left the EU in 2020, UK passport holders are treated as "third-country nationals." To enter EU countries, passports must be valid for at least three months after the planned return date. The family's holiday was part of an annual trip with 24 others from Dan's former rugby club.
Dan expressed frustration: "Hays Travel had our passports. They checked us in three weeks before we travelled. If they had highlighted the issue at the time, we could have sorted it out. But because it's a child's passport, the quickest you can get a replacement was five days. We lost our holiday basically."
Hays Travel Denies Refund
A Hays Travel spokesperson said: "While we empathise with Mr Sharples, our agents explain to customers at the time of booking that they are responsible for ensuring their travel documents are valid for the destination they are visiting. For this booking, Mr Sharples was advised to check the most up-to-date guidance via the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) website to avoid any issues."
Dan disputed this, saying he did not receive such advice. When he contacted the Widnes Hays Travel branch, staff were apologetic but later refused a refund, stating it was the customer's responsibility. Dan said: "We don't get a refund, nothing. My argument is we paid Hays Travel for the service, they offered to check us in so they should have let us know if there was a problem. It's not only that the passport was in date. They issued us with boarding passes - you just assume everything is OK."
Dan added: "I feel very angry. Normally I book these things myself, and I feel if I had done it myself I would have noticed it. But we've been left without a holiday or any form of compensation."
