A jet-set teenager was left devastated after making a mistake with his passport that left him unable to travel, forcing him to abandon New Year’s Eve holiday plans costing £1,000.
19-year old Jake Burton was due to fly to Benidorm to bring in the New Year, but as he was boarding the plane one final security check grounded him and defeated his travel plans.
According to parents Rachael and Chris, 47 and 51 it was a single tear in their son’s passport that airport security took issue with.
They claim the rip, measuring only one centimetre, is nowhere near the main page of Burton’s passport so damages none of the crucial information, The Sun reports.
Ryanair allowed Jake’s parents to fly, but they stood strong alongside their defeated son.
They say that they refused to abandon their son whilst they embarked on what was meant to be their first holiday abroad.
Mum Rachael, from Nottingham, said: “We had gone through all the checks but right at the very end, Ryanair turned us away.”
“It was absolutely heartbreaking. It would have been one thing if he had been turned away at the first instance, but to get to the gate you start getting into holiday mode and it’s just awful.”
“The worst part was this woman wouldn’t even look him in the eye when she told us no.”
On the humiliating experience, she said: “We had to be walked back through the airport, even down the runway, to leave. It was just awful.”
Due to begin on 28th December, the eight-day trip’s cancellation has cost the Burtons £1234.64 on travel.
The flights alone account for £1067.64.
Elaborating on the impact that the holiday calamity had on her son, Rachael said that her son hasn’t left his bedroom in days and blames himself.
They say that the Benidorm-bound trip had been in the works for a long time, making the disappointment even more bitter.
Ryanair, in a statement given to The Sun, said: “This passenger was correctly refused travel from East Midlands to Alicante as his passport was damaged and therefore not valid for travel.”
