Mum’s warning over passport blunder that left her sobbing at the airport as friends boarded flight

A mum filmed herself sobbing after being forced to miss out on a girls’ holiday – after falling foul of the ‘small print’ in EU passport rules.

Chelsea Rodd was excited to fly to Milan for a three-night trip to celebrate a pal’s 40th birthday on September 26 from Gatwick airport.

However, the 35-year-old was ‘shocked’ to be told her passport wouldn’t permit her to fly to the EU by airport staff while checking in her luggage.

Despite the mum-of-one’s passport expiry date not being for another seven months, it was more than 10 years old and under the EU’s 2021 passport rule she wasn’t allowed to board her EasyJet flight.

Before September 2018 the UK passport office added unused months from a person’s old passport to their new one, meaning Chelsea’s passport was valid for 10 years and nine months.

While her passport was technically in date until April next year, her early renewal meant that under the EU 10-year passport rule it does not permit travel to the EU any more as it’s more than 10 years old.

She ‘tried everything’ to be able to fly including trying to get an emergency passport but was ‘devastated’ to discover it wouldn’t arrive in time.

After ‘trying not to get upset’ in front of her friends and begging them to go without her she was ‘heartbroken’ to have to travel home alone and miss out on the £418 trip.

Chelsea shared video footage on TikTok, captioned ‘I just learned the hard way that for travel to the EU your UK passport must have been issued within the last 10 years’, which has since gone viral with more than 274,200 views.

The clip shows a tear-stricken Chelsea trying to wipe her eyes while travelling back from the airport as she says ‘I should be in Milan right now’.

Many users took to the comments to share their sympathy – revealing ‘this happened to me too’.

However, other users criticised Chelsea’s mistake and pointed out ‘this is common knowledge’.

Now the travel content creator wants to warn others to ‘read the fine print’ to avoid the same from happening to them. She believes airlines should make this clearer.

Chelsea, who lives in Freshwater, Isle of Wight, said: ‘It was devastating. [My friends] both work for me at the salon and one of them has just turned 40 so we’ve been planning it for quite a long time. I was so excited to go with them.

‘I knew I needed a new passport soon but it doesn’t ask you the passport’s start date at check in when you’re booking a trip or flight. I travel a lot and it’s never been a problem.

‘We got to the airport and we had hold luggage and they check your passport before you check that in. [The staff] said “we need to check this”.

‘I looked at the girls and said, “oh no.” They said, “it’s your passport start date. You can’t go to the EU now if it’s 10 years over. It’s in the very small print somewhere.”

‘I was completely shocked. At check in there’s nothing that flagged that. I was gutted when I was told I wouldn’t be able to fly.

‘I tried not to get upset in front of my friends because I still wanted them to go. I tried everything first before panicking and thinking “there’s no other way”.’

The mum was forced to make the ‘heartbreaking’ two-and-a-half-hour drive home from the airport.

She now wants to warn others about her experience and believes the rule ‘should be made clear’ when booking flights in the EU with airlines.

Chelsea said: ‘It was a horrible journey back and it was just heartbreaking. There’s a part of me that’s annoyed at myself because this could’ve been prevented.

‘I know it’s our responsibility to check where we’re going and requirements but because it’s been this way for such a long time and it’s been so easy to travel within the EU it’s not something that even crossed my mind to check what you needed to get there.

‘I saw the expiry date and thought that was all I needed. I think it should be made clear. Very soon all passports will have that 10 years on them so this won’t happen in the future. There’s still going to be all those people for the next two years at least that could still have this issue. 

‘I do think airlines should flag it up when you’re looking for a flight in the EU from the UK. When there was the change people with those passports that had the extra should have been sent letters in the post.

‘Unless it’s happened to you or someone you know there are some people that aren’t going to know for a long time I think and I am not alone.

‘Check your passport and read the fine print.’

Many users shared their similar shock in the comments.

One user said: ‘This happened to me too.’

Another user said: ‘I feel like they should do something on the booking system that won’t accept your passport when you input your details, like a pop up.’

A third user said: ‘If your passport is in date you would think you could still fly this is very cruel.’

Other users pointed out that this is ‘common knowledge’.

One user said: ‘I’m shocked that people are still getting caught out with this.’

Another said: ‘This is common knowledge. Sorry you were unaware, but it’s up to the passenger to check the validity of their documents.’

A third user said: ‘I mean it’s 100 per cent common knowledge and you would check and double check would you not?’

EasyJet said: ‘Unfortunately Mrs Rodd was unable to fly to Milan as her passport did not meet current passport validity rules. We remind customers during booking, check-in and by email before they travel to ensure they are aware of the travel documentation requirements for their trip, and it is customers’ responsibility to ensure they have valid documentation for travel.’