A travel expert has warned tourists about passport errors that could lead to them being rejected at the airport. It comes after former Geordie Shore star Vicky Patterson was turned away from a flight because of her damaged ID.
Her passport had been chewed up by her dog, she told fans. On social media, she wrote: “I’ve been travelling with my passport all year and no one’s said anything but to be fair I’ve definitely travelled a lot. Company policy is company policy and I get it, I’m beyond heartbroken you know??”
There are several reasons why your passport may be rejected at the boarding gate, such as damaged pages or peeling laminate, The Mirror reports.
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Problems that could invalidate your passport:
- Discoloration or damage to any part of the passport, including rips, tears, watermarks and ink stains.
- Tear off perforated passport numbers
- Security details unreadable
- Missing or loose pages
- The personal data or observations page cannot be read
- The laminate is peeling off on the personal data page.
- Cracking or tearing of personal data page
- The chip antenna is visible through the flyleaf on the back cover of a burgundy passport or on the personal data page of a blue passport.
A Travelbag spokesperson said: “If your passport has been damaged by any of the above issues you should replace it immediately before you travel. You may think the damage is minor but due to the way passports are manufactured for safety and security reasons there may be more damage than you think which could lead to you being denied travel.
“For your peace of mind, it is recommended to keep your passport well hidden and out of sight so that it stays as pristine as possible and you don’t have any of these problems when you travel.”
