Dan Sharples, 41, from Widnes, and his family were denied boarding at Liverpool John Lennon Airport on June 23 because his nine-year-old son Spencer's passport was within three months of expiring. Although not technically expired, post-Brexit EU rules require UK passports to be valid for at least three months beyond the return date.
Booking and advice dispute
The family booked through Hays Travel, who handled their documents and issued boarding passes three weeks before travel. Dan said: "We were just gutted. I was quite angry to be honest." He added: "I was asking how we managed to get that far through the process and through the airport without anyone alerting us to the problem." The family missed their annual rugby club trip with 24 other people.
No refund and responsibility
Hays Travel said customers are responsible for ensuring valid travel documents and claim they advised checking FCDO guidance. However, Dan disputes receiving this advice and was refused any refund. "We don't get a refund, nothing," he said. "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."
Stricter entry requirements
The incident highlights the stricter entry requirements for UK travellers to EU countries since Brexit.
