A GROOM en route to his £2,000 honeymoon has claimed he was banned from boarding an international flight because of a faint “stamp smudge” on his passport.
South Yorkshire newlyweds Josh, 31, and Eden Reekie’s plan to fly to Thailand in October was foiled when Etihad Airways staff flagged an issue with the pair’s travel documents.
The couple had booked a TUI holiday package to Phuket, forking out £2,400 to celebrate a second honeymoon after tying the knot in 2024.
Staff at the Etihad check-in desk at Manchester Airport “immediately” flagged an issue with both passports, making the couple wait.
After an anxiety-riddled 30 minutes, Eden’s passport was cleared, but Josh was told he would be unable to fly due to his passport being “water damaged”.
Josh said: “The duty manager started checking [the passports] and taking photos of them”.
“No one told us anything about what was happening, she just turned around and said ‘I’m really sorry but you can’t fly’,” he said.
Ironically, the faint smudge on a 2019 Thai travel stamp left him unable to board the flight.
The revelation shocked the industrial electrician from Barnsley, who said he had used his passport for international travel 12 times this year without issue.
“I hadn’t long flown with that passport so I didn’t think there was anything wrong with it,” he said.
“I travelled 12 times in 11 months with that passport and had no issues.
“Fair enough there’s a smudged stamp, but who’s to say that didn’t happen when they stamped it and closed the passport.”
In a bid to get on their holiday, Josh and Eden scrambled to apply for a new passport; however, holiday provider TUI cancelled their return flight and accommodation.
“We were really looking forward to it,” Josh said.
“We went and stood outside and just didn’t know what to do.
“It’s a very surreal feeling walking into an airport then walking out of the departure lounge.”
With Josh able to get a new passport within two days, the dismayed couple coughed up more cash for a last-minute trip to Cyprus.
They have since demanded compensation from Etihad and TUI.
“I felt really disappointed because there was no empathy or remorse from Etihad Airways,” Josh said.
“I know they probably see it daily but people save up all year to go on holiday.
“We were stressed because of all the money we’d spent.”
Josh said he “couldn’t understand” how one airline staff member had total authority.
“For someone on the check-in desk to just say ‘you’re not going’,” he said.
“How [can] someone have that authority to refuse you and not be able to get a second opinion.
“If it was the picture page, I could understand it, but the fact it was the stamp page just annoyed me.”
Josh said they’d been left “gutted” and described the event as “soul destroying”.
“I just hope it doesn’t happen to anyone else,” he said.
“We’d like our money back. We’ve had no help from TUI or Etihad.”
In response, an Etihad spokesperson said Thailand‘s immigration authorities had advised airline staff “not to board the passenger based on the passport’s condition”.
“A passenger flying from Manchester to Phuket on October 7 was denied boarding due to visible water damage in their passport at the time of check-in,” the spokesperson said.
“Check-in staff therefore did not allow the passenger to board in compliance with regulatory guidance and destination entry requirements based on the condition of the passport at the time of travel.”
The spokesperson said “British passports must be machine-readable and fully intact, with no torn pages, water damage, delamination or illegible details, to comply with Thailand’s immigration policy”.
TUI has been contacted for comment.
Another newlywed recently suffered a honeymoon nightmare when her face collapsed after her trip was cancelled at the last minute.
Gail Morgan, 50, suffered a Bell’s Palsy attack, paralysing the muscles down one side of her face after the £6,000 cruise was postponed just prior to boarding – and then axed completely.
Gail and new husband Pepe Davies, 53, from Wales, had flown out to Miami following their glam wedding only to be told the liner had suffered a “technical issue”.
Gail said “Celebrity Cruises didn’t even inform” the couple of the cancellation, however they were later issued a credit voucher, totalling £2,619.