Michael Rosen, the celebrated children's author of We're Going on a Bear Hunt, missed the Bologna Children's Book Fair on Monday after being denied boarding on a Ryanair flight due to post-Brexit passport rules.
The 79-year-old, who was shortlisted for the Hans Christian Andersen Award, arrived at Stansted Airport for flight FR194 to Bologna. However, Ryanair staff refused him entry because his passport, issued in March 2016, was more than 10 years old from the issue date, violating EU rules for UK travellers.
Under post-Brexit regulations, UK passports must have been issued within the last 10 years and be valid for at least three months beyond the intended stay. Rosen's passport, valid until August 2026, was 40 days too old on the first condition.
Rosen told The Independent that as a guest of the organisers, he did not check the travel documents. He later posted on X, calling it “another Brexit benefit,” which triggered abusive responses from some users.
Despite the setback, Rosen received a call later that day informing him he had won the Hans Christian Andersen Award. “I’m a little bit sad that I wasn’t at the announcement, but I’ve had a happy day basking in that glory,” he said.
