A retired chartered surveyor was refused boarding on a Ryanair flight to Faro, Portugal, due to a little-known passport rule, despite having a year left on his passport.
Ian Glover, 66, was turned away at the check-in desk at East Midlands Airport on Monday. Ryanair staff told him the issue date of his passport was not close enough to the end of his travel date. His passport was issued in July 2012 and expires in April 2023.
Mr Glover said he had checked the Government website, which states that for Portugal, a passport must be less than ten years from the date of issue and valid for at least three months after leaving. He believed he met these conditions, but Ryanair interpreted the rule differently, requiring the three-month post-travel validity to also fall within ten years of the issue date.
After being refused, Mr Glover approached Jet2, who checked his passport and confirmed he could fly with them the next day. He purchased a ticket and joined his family. He criticised the Government website for unclear language, saying it uses phrases like 'it may need' and 'it might be', causing confusion.
Mr Glover urged travellers to be aware of the rule, noting that another woman at the airport had a similar passport issue. Ryanair apologised but upheld the decision.
