A couple was left questioning their sanity after a confusing visa rule blocked their dream holiday, costing them £973.30.
Peter Wiles and his wife Rogelyn Caresosa had been planning a romantic getaway to Cappadocia, Turkey, known for its hot air balloons and ancient underground cities. The couple married in 2024, and Rogelyn moved to the UK on a spouse visa. They saved up for the May 2025 trip, with Peter booking two return flights from Manchester Airport on Turkish Airlines.
Their holiday ended at the airport when Turkish Airlines stopped them from boarding. "My wife was devastated, we had to get a taxi home as it was late on a Sunday and the trains had finished," Peter told the Mirror. "This whole debacle has honestly had me questioning my sanity at times!"
Visa confusion at the heart of the issue
The trouble began when booking Turkey's eVisa. Rogelyn, a Filipino citizen with a UK spouse visa, had an old Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) card that technically expired at the end of 2024 under the UK's switch to digital eVisas, though her immigration status remains valid until 2027.
Before applying, Rogelyn called the Turkish Consulate, which advised her to use her BRP number rather than her UK "share code" as the "additional visa number" on the form. However, at Manchester Airport, a Turkish Airlines gate agent rejected this, insisting the share code should have been used. This was despite the eVisa printout stating that "eVisas of other countries are NOT accepted as supporting documents."
Refund battle and frustration
Rogelyn was denied boarding, and the couple watched their plane leave without them. Peter has been fighting to get his money back, but so far without success. He claims Turkish Airlines refused to give a clear written explanation, citing a vague "issue" with the visa and then claiming the couple were a "no show."
Peter requested a chargeback from Tesco Bank, which the airline contested twice, leading Tesco Bank to drop it. The bank accepted the airline's "flight operated as scheduled" explanation, despite that not addressing why boarding was denied. Peter then reported the incident to the Ombudsman, who ruled against him on technical grounds: no valid Debtor-Creditor-Supplier agreement existed for the wife's ticket because she, not Peter, was denied boarding.
The process has left Peter doubting himself. "I've developed a complex about being misunderstood and feel I have to explain everything in detail," he added.
A Tesco Bank spokesperson said: "We were sorry to hear about the experience Mr Wiles had when attempting to travel with his wife. After careful consideration, we concluded that his case didn't meet the criteria for a successful Section 75 claim. He referred his claim to the Financial Ombudsman Service, which upheld our decision." Turkish Airlines did not respond to a request for comment.
