Beekeeper of Aleppo - really stupid question with a spoiler

[ohfook]

Just finished it and really enjoyed it. I've got one question and I'm sure the answer is really obvious but I just can't think of it.

We know the two main characters took their passports and they had €5000. Once they got to Athens why couldn't they just use their money to buy two normal plane tickets to the U.K.? Surely this would've been a lot cheaper and safer than giving all of their money to the smuggler?

I know it's not the main point of the novel, I just don't understand why with the money behind them they couldn't use it to get a safer passage to the U.K. once they'd got out of Syria?

Presumably they didn't have visas?

yeah if you're illegal you can't board a plane. The airlines have to check visa etc before someone boards to make sure they are legally allowed into the country otherwise they can be prosecuted themselves

Ah yes that makes sense! Thank you 🙂