“We are sitting at home when we have to be in Malta right now.”
A couple from Kent, who did not want to be named, were dismissed from their easyJet flight at Gatwick Airport on Monday this week because the airline applied the wrong passport validity rules.
They are two of easyJet’s many passengers who contacted The Independent after their valid passports were rejected by ground staff.
Since travel restrictions in the UK were lifted last month, accounts show that Britain’s largest budget airline is unnecessarily ruining travel plans every day.
“We both have mental health problems and this has put us in a state of emotional stress,” said easyJet passengers, who lost their holiday in Malta. Both their passports comply with European validity rules.
Now, following repeated requests from The Independent, easyJet has stopped enforcing its terms, which are stricter than the actual post-Brexit EU travel rules.
As a result of Brexit, UK passport holders face two tests to enter the Schengen area, which includes almost the entire European Union, plus Switzerland, Iceland and Norway.
One is about the date of issue: on the day of arrival, the passport must be less than 10 years old.
The other is about the expiration date: there must be at least three months left on the planned day of departure from the Schengen area.
These two conditions are independent, as confirmed by the European Commission in November 2021.
A passenger with a British passport issued on 1 May 2012 and expiring on 1 November 2022 can travel to the Schengen area until 30 April 2022.
But easyJet, along with Ryanair and the UK government, chose not to accept the evidence – and instead devised and enforced stricter rules that refused to allow thousands of passengers to board.
On Monday night, The Independent called on another easyJet to correct the unjustified online statement that “on the day of travel you will need your passport to have at least six months in it”.
The airline has already changed its online information to comply with the rules, and confirmed to The Independent that the right policy will be followed from today.
An easyJet spokesman said: “We always review the information we provide about travel requirements to ensure that we do so as clearly as possible for our customers.
“Having recently reviewed the guidelines provided on the requirements for the validity of the state passport, we have now updated this on our website to ensure that they are clear and to avoid any misinterpretation.”
The airline did not explain why it did not take action five months ago when it received official correspondence from the European Commission confirming the rules.
Thousands of passengers can now sue the airline. Passengers who have been incorrectly refused boarding when their passports were valid for travel appear to be reimbursed for the full price of the ticket (including the return stage if booked), as well as legal compensation for refusing boarding. board of £ 220 or £ 350 per person.
In addition, passengers are likely to be able to claim the costs they have lost on items such as accommodation and car rental.
People who have traveled long distances and paid a premium for a quick passport renewal because easyJet misinformed them may also have a claim against the airline.
The misrepresentation of European rules by airlines has led many passengers to renew their passports unnecessarily, increasing the pressure on congested passport offices.
The Independent has renewed its efforts to persuade Ryanair to comply with European Commission rules, but there are no indications that the Irish airline has changed its policy. The passengers said they were rejected from a flight from London Stansted to Lisbon on Tuesday night.
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