A heartbroken mum’s £6,500 “holiday of a lifetime” with her two children ended in tears at the boarding gate after staff discovered a mistake on her daughter’s passport.
Victoria Vigors had spent two years saving for the dream two-week break to Hurghada, Egypt, with her children Riley, 15, and Roxie, nine.
The 41-year-old said it would have been the family’s first two-week holiday abroad together and their first experience of staying at an all-inclusive resort.
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But after checking in online, dropping off their luggage and passing through airport security at London Gatwick without any problems, the family was stopped moments before boarding their easyJet flight.
When staff scanned their boarding passes at the gate, they discovered Roxie’s passport did not have the required period of validity remaining for travel to Egypt.
“My stomach dropped and I felt like i’d been kicked in the stomach,” Victoria, from Kent, told Whats The Jam.
“The kids crumpled and I burst into tears.
“I begged the staff but there was nothing they could do.
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“We had to be escorted back to get our luggage off the flight.
“It was so embarrassing.
“The kids were devastated, Roxie kept saying it was her fault and we were so disappointed.
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“It was a really bad day.”
Roxie’s passport expires on January 4, 2027, but Victoria said she had not realised this would cause a problem for travel to Egypt.
According to the UK government’s foreign travel advice, British passport holders travelling to Egypt must have at least six months’ validity remaining on their passport from the date of arrival.
Because Roxie’s passport did not satisfy that requirement, the airline refused boarding.
The content creator said: “I wasn’t aware of the rules.
“I was given her passport the day before we flew by her dad.
“In my head, it was six months anyway, so I didn’t think there’d be an issue.
“For people like me who don’t always travel and it’s the first time with my children, I wasn’t to know.
“I would have thought when I put her passport details in to check in that would tell me it wasn’t valid.
“That would be a simple system to install so save this agony and heartbreak.
“It’s crazy.”
Victoria said the family are now desperately trying to obtain an emergency passport in the hope they can salvage the final few days of the holiday as they’re unable to get a refund.
She added: “I’d been saving up for two years.
“We were incredibly excited as we’d never had a two-week holiday abroad together or been to a resort like this.
“It was going to be the holiday of a lifetime.”
An EasyJet spokesperson said: “Unfortunately Ms Vigors and her daughter were unable to fly as her daughter’s passport did not meet passport validity rules.
“We remind customers during booking, check-in and by email before they travel to ensure they are aware of the travel documentation requirements for their trip, and it is customers’ responsibility to ensure they have valid documentation for travel.”
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