Bob and Gillian were happy: they were going on vacation for the first time since the coronavirus health crisis. Once they arrived at Newcastle airport, it was a cold shower for this elderly couple.
The 74-year-old was confident his passport was in order. Unfortunately, this was not the case due to the new rules put in place by the European Union for the British. The latter are now obliged to have in their possession a document less than 10 years old.
Bob laments the situation to the Chronicle Live: “My passport was first looked at by an intern who was going to let me through, but a senior member of staff looked over the intern’s shoulder my passport said he was not valid for travel. The explanation was that due to rule changes in January, the expiry date was simply 10 years from the date of issue, not the date on the passport, which clearly stated that its expiry date was April 5, 2023”.
Scientist and expert in neurobiology, the septuagenarian was to give a conference in Munich, before enjoying a few days of rest in Milan. Including flights and hotels, Bob and Gillian estimate that they lost up to £5,000, or nearly €6,000.