How Aussie traveller was stopped from boarding flight to Bali after tiny passport detail: ‘It was devastating’

A young traveller has told of how she was stopped from boarding her flight to Bali after a tiny detail was spotted on her passport. 

Emmison Caddy was set to fly from the Gold Coast to the Indonesian island for her best friend’s 30th birthday when a Jetstar employee stopped her at the check-in counter after noticing a red ink smudge in the corner of her passport.

The 26-year-old was told that if she landed in Bali with the damaged passport, she would likely be sent back to Australia. 

‘It was devastating,’ Emmison told Daily Mail. 

‘They were like, “We are so sorry, but we know they won’t let you on the flight because if it does happen where Bali turns you away, Jetstar can get a big fine” so they don’t even risk it.

‘I was willing to risk it but Jetstar wouldn’t even let me on the plane.’

Indonesian authorities are known for enforcing strict entry rules, with travellers being refused entry into Bali and airlines facing hefty fines for carrying passengers with damaged passports.

According to Smart Traveller, normal wear and tear, including water damage, minor marks, tears or rips to the pages, can be considered damaged.

Emmison was in tears as she had no choice but to arrange an emergency passport, which cost her more than $700. 

As the group of friends boarded the plane without her, she rushed to the Australian Passport Office in Brisbane after Jetstar rebooked her on another flight for the following night. 

By the next morning, she was overjoyed when she received her emergency passport in less than two hours after submitting her application. 

‘So lucky, I had amazing people at Brisbane passport centre helping me,’ she said.

‘They were absolutely incredible.’

Emmison said she doesn’t have a clue how the red stain ended up in her passport but suspected it may have been ink from a pen.

She documented her experience on social media as a reminder to all Australians to check their passports before travelling abroad, particularly to Bali.

‘Jetstar didn’t let me on the plane because I had a tiny red or pink dot in the corner of my passport and they said that if I go to Bali, they would turn me around and send me on a plane home,’ she recalled.

‘It is so small, it’s not covering my face or any documentation, it’s literally in the corner, it looks like ink has smudged or a little bit of water damage or something.’

Daily Mail has contacted Jetstar and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) for comment.

Her video has been viewed more than 13,500 times, with many sharing their own experiences after travelling to Bali with a damaged passport. 

‘The same thing happened to me! Turned me away from my flight telling me I would be detained in Bali. I went through all the stress of getting a new one only to get to Bali and not have a single person check my passport,’ one shared. 

‘It happened to me. Mine was out of date and I realised one day before my flight. I got my passport photos and went straight to the passport office. I went in at 10am, and I got my passport at 2pm. Flew next day,’ another revealed. 

‘My mum went from Perth to Singapore, then Ko Samui, she got denied at Ko Samui due to a tiny rip and hole in her passport. She had to stay the night detained, then got sent back to Singapore whilst her new passport got finalised… Frustrating but better to be at home than be detained,’ one said.

‘I had a similar issue. I ended up bursting out crying in the Post Office because I was so stressed and overwhelmed. The staff were so kind and reassuring to me. It’s such a nice reminder,’ another added.