Your support helps us to tell the story<\/p>\n
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.<\/p>\n
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.<\/p>\n
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.<\/p>\n
Your support makes all the difference.<\/strong>Read more<\/p>\n British Airways<\/a> ground staff are continuing to invent their own rules on passport validity<\/a> to deny boarding to passengers who are properly documented.<\/p>\n In the latest incident uncovered by The Independent, BA turned away Chris Taylor and his wife Cathy from their flight from London Heathrow<\/a> to Palma. In September the couple, from Alton in Hampshire, planned to fly to Mallorca to celebrate their wedding anniversary.<\/p>\n Both their passports were valid for travel out to Spain and the rest of the European Union up to mid-November for a stay of up to 90 days.<\/p>\n But in a repeat of previous mistakes made by British Airways<\/a> ground staff, they were told they could not travel.<\/p>\n Mr Taylor, a 63-year-old advertising executive, said: \u201cMy wife and I were taken to one side at the gate when boarding. The BA lady told me my passport was invalid as it had expired.\u201d<\/p>\n The British Airways ground staff member wrongly claimed UK passports are not valid for travel out to the European Union beyond nine years and nine months after the date of issue. This has never been the case.<\/p>\n \u201cI said it was perfectly valid and just the previous month we had flown to France with BA,\u201d Mr Taylor said. \u201cThis was to no avail.\u201d<\/p>\n At this point Mr Taylor\u2019s wife joined him \u2013 whereupon the ground staff member wrongly declared both passports were invalid.<\/p>\n The couple were told to go to the British Airways Executive Lounge, as Mr Taylor is a BA Gold card holder, where customer service would assist. \u201cIn fact there was no customer service at the lounge and we were directed to Gate 10,\u201d Mr Taylor said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe BA staff at gate 10 were very surprised and couldn\u2019t understand why we had been denied boarding. But by then the plane had departed and we had to be escorted out of the airport.\u201d<\/p>\n At this point they could have flown on the same day with any other airline to Palma from another London airport, because their passports were valid. But because British Airways had assured them, incorrectly, their documents had run out, they set about finding an express passport appointment.<\/p>\n The earliest was two days later in Newport, South Wales \u2013 requiring a 200-mile round-trip and paying hundreds of pounds. They then rebooked a flight for 20 September.<\/p>\n \u201cWe missed our wedding anniversary dinner in Mallorca on 19 September and had considerable expense driving to Wales and back to get the new passports,\u201d Mr Taylor said. \u201cNot to mention the stress and disruption caused.\u201d<\/p>\n When he attempted to raise the matter with British Airways, what has emerged as a standard pattern of behaviour was repeated.<\/p>\n Customers protest at their treatment, but BA does not investigate; were the airline to do so, it would quickly discover the error. Instead, the airline\u2019s customer service staff doubles down by citing non-existent rules and blaming the passengers.<\/p>\n Mr Taylor says he contacted British Airways five times to try to get the compensation that, according to my assessment of the facts, looks due to him and his wife. But he has been told time and again that the passports were not valid.<\/p>\n Given his status as a Gold member of the BA Club, he was dealt with by the British Airways Premium Escalation Team. But he was told: \u201cYour passport was only valid till November 2025.\u201d The team member said: \u201cThis is known as the 10-year passport rule.\u201d <\/p>\n Such a rule does not exist. But by wrongly blaming the passenger, BA stood to avoid its obligation to pay \u00a3220 each in denied boarding compensation plus hundreds of pounds reimbursing the costs incurred as a result of the mistake.<\/p>\n After The Independent contacted British Airways on behalf of the couple, a spokesperson said: \u201cWe\u2019re very sorry for our customer\u2019s experience after an error by one of our colleagues meant they were incorrectly denied travel. We\u2019ve been in contact with our customer to apologise and make things right.\u201d<\/p>\n On top of the statutory compensation for denying boarding, BA has offered the couple reimbursement of the expenses caused by the ground staff error.<\/p>\n Mr Taylor said: \u201cI\u2019m not sure the compensation does justice to the inconvenience and disruption we suffered.<\/p>\n \u201cThis situation raises the question of why so many emails were required and only your intervention elicited the correct response.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is deeply concerning that a company like BA would employ tactics that seem to deliberately avoid the truth. It is very disappointing behaviour.<\/p>\n \u201cI have been a loyal flyer with BA for over 30 years. After the initial mistake why didn\u2019t they do the right thing and just apologise?\u201d<\/p>\n The post-Brexit<\/a> rules on passport validity for the European Union took effect in 2021. For a trip to anywhere in the EU (except Ireland), a British passport must meet two conditions:<\/p>\n\n