A planned birthday getaway to Tenerife, Spain, turned into a nightmare for a couple on 8 January after a minor passport issue left them stranded at Manchester Airport.
Abriella Monroe, 32, and her husband Sebastien, 36, arrived early at the airport for their Ryanair flight to celebrate his birthday. However, despite successfully checking in using Sebastien's passport, they were prevented from boarding due to a "slight rip" in the document.
A Small Tear Sparks Big Trouble
According to a report, the couple, parents to three children, explained that the damage was caused by faulty glue, which led to a page coming loose and tearing slightly along the spine.
Abriella insisted the passport was still valid, with all of Sebastien's details and his photo clearly visible. Yet, Ryanair staff refused to accept the document at the boarding gate, even though it had passed during check-in and currency exchange at the airport.
'The passport is just slightly torn. We can fully see his details, passport number, and photograph. At this point, we are not sure what we are going to do. We are going to have to go to Liverpool to get him another passport,' said Abriella, who has paraplegia and relies on her husband for care.
Smooth Check-In Turns into Frustration at the Gate
According to the Monroes, they arrived at Manchester Airport by taxi at around 3.45 a.m. to catch the 5.50 a.m. flight (Ryanair flight FR1249) and initially experienced no problems at check-in.
'We checked in our luggage and my wheelchair, and once again, our passes and passports were checked. My husband also used his passport to exchange some money at Travelex at the airport, and we got some duty-free,' Abriella said, adding that everything appeared to be going smoothly until Sebastien presented his passport for final checks at the gate.
Abriella explained, 'We both go to the boarding gate, and I showed my boarding pass and passport first, and that was fine. Then my husband showed the Ryanair staff his. The man took a two-second look at it and said, 'You can't travel on that.' He said there was a slight rip in it and couldn't accept it.'
According to the couple, they tried to explain the passport was still valid, but their efforts were met with resistance. Despite being allowed through Border Force, where the passport was deemed acceptable, Ryanair insisted that the damage made it unfit for travel.
What Does the UK Passport Office Say About Damaged Passports
According to Government guidelines, the HM Passport Office considers a passport damaged if it cannot be read, if pages are missing or torn, or if there are significant rips.
However, according to Abriella, there was no issue six years ago when they last travelled with these passports. 'It's been kept safe in a folder with important documents, and there's not a single tear in any of the other papers,' she said.
In response to the incident, Ryanair stated that the passport was damaged at the identification page and across the page seam. A spokesperson for the airline confirmed: 'The UK Passport Office defines what constitutes as a damaged passport, not Ryanair. This passenger was correctly refused travel from Manchester to Tenerife (8 January) as his passport was damaged and therefore not valid for travel.'
Couple Plans to File Formal Complaint with Ryanair
Furthermore, this is not the first time Ryanair has refused to board a traveller over a passport issue. In July 2024, a UK couple went through a similar situation.
According to the NYPost, Rory Allens and his girlfriend, Nina Wilkins, were kicked out by the airline as a minor tea stain was found on one of their passports. 'After we got our bags, we got escorted out of the airport like we were criminals, and it was embarrassing,' Allen told Kennedy News.
Meanwhile, Abriella intends to lodge a formal complaint with Ryanair once they return home. 'The wheelchair and suitcase were taken off the plane, and we had to wait at a carousel to collect them. We will definitely be complaining to Ryanair as soon as we get home,' she said.
