To be upset for these families turned back at the airport

[TarasHarp55]

I've just read about another family turned back at the airport because some of the passports weren't valid anymore. I know it's their fault that they hadn't realised they now needed six months more than their expiry but hell we're all human we make mistakes.

This was a family with little children all excited for their holiday, months of saving and preparation. I'd have been tempted to turn a blind eye. I don't think I could bear to refuse them., and hopefully not get into trouble for it. Anyone else feel like this?

It's basics. I'm surprised people dint know these things.

I just think it’s fucking nonsense that an expiry date isn’t an expiry date, with a small buffer on the end.

i say this as someone who will have four months on the end of their passports when they’re due to travel and has applied for new ones

Not everyone is glued to their phones all the time and reading every bit of travel news and advice.

Surely if they are going to be traveling they should be reading the news and advice - what a silly comment. Some people these days seem to be incapable of even the simplest bit of research about anything important.

You say basics but it clearly states on the gov website that to enter an EU country your passport needs to be valid for 3 months after the date you leave, not 6…

It's not just the 3 or 6 months though, it's the now the actual expiry date of your passport. We were travelling during September 2021 and our passports expired in August 2022. Checking the issue date and adding 10 years (less 6 months) they weren't valid and we had to make an emergency application. This particular issue has not been given loads of publicity presumably because there has been so little travel over the last couple of years.

It’s changed since Brexit but obviously the government have not done a very good job advertising this update.

I was aware because my dc are half European, so we travel to Europe all the time, we got them EU passports issued at the relevant embassy in London last year but will keep their UK ones updated so they can have both.

Brexit benefits.

It is shite but do your travel agents not tell you before you book anymore?

They tried their luck, it didn't work. Tough shit basically. Wasted their own money which is rather stupid.

Is it basics?

My passport expires in June 2023, it will be 10 years old in September 2022. When does the 6 months validity period begin for the EU? Some travel firms are interpreting this as three or six months BEFORE that 10 year date. Travel experts are saying the validity isn't related to the 10 years?
www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/renew-passport-eu-expiration-rules-travel-b2068257.html

Sorry their fault. My daughter has 5 months left on her passport from a school trip in June. I applied for her new pass prior ages ago.

You do know why we have passports to travel to other countries don't you?

Imagine if they were let through. There was an event - RTA for example and they need to stay longer for nedical attention/support. A passport runs out. The person without a passport would be in no man's land - they can't leave and they can't enter UK. Sh1t happens so keep at least 6m on your passport. I know we all make mistakes, but this one is not one you want to make.

Don't get me wrong I feel sorry for them, but that's all I feel. I don't think they can be let through.

Your passport for the EU expires in September 2022. You cannot travel on it to the EU unless you return by the end of June (assuming it expires end September). The EU does not recognise passports or longer than 10 years' validity for non-EU members.

Nope I don’t feel sorry for them. It’s been absolutely everywhere for over a year to check your validity. I personally work for an airline and I’ve had to refuse people at the airport and boarding gate loads . I don’t feel bad and I won’t. If we let them travel we face a massive fine for the airline and potentially losing our jobs.

Really turn a blind eye and lose your job because of someone who is incompetent. Would you lose your job because of someone's incompetence the answer is NO so stop being so sanctimonious

No, you haven't. Not in the EU, when you were part of the EU.

These rules are a thing because of Brexit and because you are now third Country nationals

How do you know if your passport was extended by a few months? My passport doesn’t say anything about an extension (just has an expiry date) and I can’t remember if it was extended.

Mine is expiring next year so want to be prepared.

No i feel sorry for the children only who areinnnocent not their idiot parents didnt check the rules before go9ing

There is both an issue date and an expiry date -

Do you know the family then? It's quite likely they weren't trying their luck and had just made the error of deducting 6 months from the expiry date and thinking it valid without calculating 10 years after issue date.

Let's all point at them and call them stupid though.

Some people are not as intelligent or informed as you. The average reading age for adults in this country? 9 years.
Even people who've looked into the EU policy change are confused.

Why not have some compassion instead of feeling smug that you know the rules.

Umm nope. If they’re grown up enough to book and pay for a holiday, then get themselves to the airport with the correct sizes of liquids packed in the right (correct weight) bag etc then they can manage to check restrictions and requirements. Christ, if the government writes it on your face people cry it’s a nanny state, if they don’t then it’s all ‘how was I supposed to know?’.

The airline could be fined for carrying people without a valid passport. It's £2000 per person in the UK. They are also responsible for bringing back anyone who is refused entry at the other end so that's another financial charge.
There is no way they would turn a blind eye

I feel sorry for the children especially. I also feel compassion for the parents. I wonder if anyone, who voted for this shambles has been caught out!

It doesn't matter whether it's 6 weeks or 3 months or 6 months or 138 and 48 minutes. Whatever the numbers are , people will be caught out.

This isn't new. It happened to friends of ours about 20 years ago and they lost their holiday. It nearly happened to us 15 years ago but luckily I realised 2 weeks in advance and we managed to get them renewed before the departure date.

Individuals are responsible for ensuring they follow the rules wherever they travel to or live. If they screw up they can whinge and moan as much as they want but any mistakes are their own fault.

@TimeFlysWhenYoureHavingRum quite

I feel sorry for people who have fallen foul of the added time rule with the EU now.
@Kingstonmumof1 - not a new rule or a surprise, and let's be honest - a slim majority of those affected knew what they were voting for.

But I do have sympathy for everyone caught by HMPO and DVLA delays, which are the result of ministerial and management incompetence. Some departments have come out of Covid doing very well, but not these two.