Mum booted off £7k dream holiday after staff make mistake

Anna Laffin was ready to board her flight from Manchester Airport to Morocco on July 25 when she was told her passport issued in May 2014 was too old.

The 46-year-old claims she explained there was still six months left on the passport and that she only needed three months left to visit Morocco, but a member of staff didn't listen.

She says they applied a rule for visitors to the European Union, not Africa, where she needed the document to be less than 10 years old.

Tearful Anna says she was forced to watch her daughter Ariane Laffin, 11, her partner Mark Elliott, 48, and his daughter Errin Elliott, 18, board the flight without her. (Image: Kennedy News)

The nurse claims she was escorted away to collect the luggage TUI removed from the plane before taking a lonely taxi home.

However, the following day [July 26] angry Anna says she spoke to a TUI customer service agent who apologised and said she'd been wrongly denied boarding.

They confirmed the passport was valid for her 11-night Morocco getaway and paid for a taxi and hotel so she could jet to North Africa from Birmingham Airport two days late [Jul 27].

Anna says she's been left angry by a member of staff's insistence and how little time she had to research the issue before her family had to board the flight without her.

The Government website says visitors to Morocco only need their passport to be valid for another three months and it doesn't reference a 10-year limit.

TUI blamed their 'airport partner' for the blunder and said they were in touch with the family to resolve the issue and ensure she is 'adequately compensated'.

Anna, from Eccles, Greater Manchester, said: "I didn't bother renewing my passport because I thought I would get another holiday out of it.

"They checked it at the bag drop area and we spent three and a half hours in the departure lounge until one member of staff challenged it at the gate.

"She took me to one side, made a call then said 'your passport is invalid because it was issued 10 years ago'.

I have a 10-year-and nine-month passport and my expiry date is February 2025 so I had six months left and I only needed three months. (Image: Kennedy News)

"I think the confusion is that people don't know passports can be valid after 10 years either.

"I was trying to explain to her that I'm not going to an EU country, I'm going to Morocco but she said it doesn't matter and if she let me through I'd get deported and they'd get a fine.

"This was in front of everyone boarding and it was humiliating.

"I was worried and the kids were at the gate ready to go so they pressured us and didn't give us time to think so I just told them to go and that I'd sort it out.

"I was tearful and angry but I wanted to keep calm so it didn't give them a reason not to put me on the flight.

"I had to sit there and watch the plane reversing on the runway."

Passport Photo Rules

Anna says she checked the Government's website to find out if she needed to renew her passport shortly after booking the £7,000 trip in spring.

She paid £200 for an emergency passport shortly after leaving the airport and was given an appointment in Liverpool, Merseyside, on Monday, July 29.

The day after her refusal she visited a TUI travel agents shop and called their customer services to avoid having to wait for new documentation.

Anna said: "TUI admitted fault on Friday and told me they were extremely sorry.

"They asked if I wanted to book another holiday but I told them it's too late because my family was there so they offered to look at getting me on the next flight.

"I was still angry but I felt relieved at that point because I knew I was going to get to Morocco.

"I was exhausted when I got there because of the travel and the stress. It was one of the most stressful times.

"It took a while for me to settle in because I was so angry."

Anna says she's lodged a complaint with TUI but she's still waiting for them to pay for her solo flight from Birmingham as they said they would.

The mum-of-one shared a TikTok explaining her experience and it has been viewed more than 330,000 times.

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One commented: "How awful for you!"

A second said: "I hope you got compensation."

A third added: "I'm sorry that's happened but glad you got out there and had at least most of your holiday."

A TUI spokesperson said: "We were very sorry to hear about Ms Laffin's situation.

"Unfortunately, she was incorrectly denied her boarding at the gate by our airport partner and not TUI.

"We are in touch with her to resolve the situation and ensure that she is refunded and adequately compensated.

"This is not how we want our customers' holidays to start, so we would like to once again apologise to Ms Laffin for the mistake. We hope she was able to enjoy the rest of her holiday."

Manchester Airport declined to comment.