EasyJet staff wrongly deny boarding to British family en route to Paris for 50th birthday as they play 'passport roulette'

GB NEWS

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EasyJet targets over 50s in new campaign
Aymon Bertah

By Aymon Bertah


Published: 15/07/2025

- 10:58

The airline reimbursed the family after admitting the correct rules were not followed

A British family were wrongly turned away from an easyJet flight after ground staff misunderstood passport rules.

Louise McMahon was booked to fly on easyJet from Glasgow to Paris for three nights with her husband and two children to celebrate her 50th birthday.


McMahon's passport was valid for travel outbound to France and the rest of the European Union up to September 24 this year for a stay of up to 90 days - until December.

However, in what has already been seen at airports across the UK, McMahon was turned away from the flight.

Instead of the customer appealing the the denial at boarding and being let on the plane, the airline have doubled down on the wrong decision.

McMahon, an early years education worker, told the Independent her family arrived at the airport having already checked in online.

"We went to bag drop and I was told I could not travel on my passport because it was out of date," she said.

"I questioned this and the woman got a colleague who confirmed I was unable to travel and the system would not allow it."

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The mother believed she made a mistake

McMahon added that she was told, "I missed the travel cut off by three days" because she needed "three months before the 10 years".

EasyJet accepted that this was never a rule back in 2022.

McMahon said she didn't "argue with the staff at easyJet".

"We believed what they said and put it down to my own stupidity but I have since learned that my passport was valid as it was within the 10 year rule and had three months before the expiry date," she said.

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An easyJet spokesperson apologised to the family

"It was my 50th birthday the following day so we had planned a special trip to Paris."

The situation made McMahon feel "pretty horrified" where she told her family "to go without me".

"They understandably refused given it was a trip for my 50th," she said.

On top of the "obvious upset" of the incident, McMahon said the value of the flights and non-refundable Paris hotel totalled £1,975.

EasyJet apologised to the passenger and reimbursed the family for the lost costs along with paying £220 in denied boarding compensation.

The airline initially refused to compensate the three other members of the party due to them being able to continue with the journey.

McMahon hit back and told easyJet: "I do not believe anyone would reasonably expect a family to go on a trip that had been organised to celebrate someone's 50th birthday when that person was refused."

"I believed I had no option to get to Paris because easyJet staff advised me that my passport was invalid," she said.

EasyJet later agreed to pay the denied boarding compensation to the remaining members.

McMahon said the experience was "very upsetting" and that she felt it had ruined a trip that "we had all looked forward to and spent a lot of money on".

"I believed I was at fault, I did not feel able to celebrate my birthday in the way I had hoped at all," she said.

An easyJet spokesperson apologised to McMahon and said the issue had been raised with "our ground handling partner at Glasgow Airport" so they understand the "correct rules".

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