Travel experts are warning Brits about an airport security rule that could see you denied boarding if you don’t follow it.
04:09, 22 Nov 2025Updated 06:05, 22 Nov 2025
Don’t let your phone go dead in the airport(Image: Getty)
Thousands of Brits are jetting off for some winter sunshine, with most travellers clued up on airport security protocols.
Your liquids are sorted in your carry-on, passport at the ready, and necessary visas obtained.
But there’s one obscure airport security regulation that could see you refused boarding – and it’s got nothing to do with what’s in your luggage.
Experts at WildPack American Summer Camps are urging holidaymakers to take note of this lesser-known requirement, which if violated could mean being barred from your flight.
If you’ve been rushing around getting ready for departure and allowed your mobile to run out of battery, you could face serious complications.
Travel specialist Jamie Fraser explained: “Many travellers are unaware that airport security now operates under stricter guidelines regarding electronic devices.
“If security personnel cannot switch on your phone to conduct necessary checks, they have the authority to deem the device, or you, a security risk.”
Airport personnel may request you power up your device to demonstrate it’s functioning properly, reports the Express.
Should your battery be flat, the gadget be faulty or fail to power on, you’ll be prohibited from taking it aboard the aircraft.
Official guidance on GOV.UK states: “Make sure your electronic devices are charged before you travel.
“If your device does not switch on when requested, you will not be allowed to take it onto the aircraft.”
Whilst most passengers won’t face this request, it remains a possibility, making preparation vital.
Jamie said: “While it might seem extreme, these regulations are in place for everyone’s safety.
“A non-functioning device raises suspicion and can lead to significant delays and potential denial of boarding. In some cases, security might even confiscate the device for further inspection.”
Josh Reekie was due to fly to Phuket, Thailand, with wife Eden for their honeymoon but the electrician encountered an issue at Manchester Airport around his passport
04:20, 21 Nov 2025Updated 04:20, 21 Nov 2025
Josh and Eden Reekie were unable to go on their Thailand trip(Image: Kennedy News and Media)
A groom was “absolutely gutted” to be banned from boarding a flight to Thailand for his £2,000 honeymoon — due to a problem with his passport.
Staff at the Etihad Airways check-in desk inspected Josh Reekie’s passport and, reportedly after 30 minutes, he was told he would be unable to catch his flight due to damage on the document. The faint smudge, from on a 2019 travel stamp, was deemed water damage and sufficient for staff at Manchester Airport to deny Josh travel.
But Josh and Eden, whose passport was fine, had forked out £2,400 on flights and accommodation for their two-week TUI package holiday to celebrate tying the knot. Furious with the experience, Josh, 31, said today: “They said there was a stamp that had smudged slightly from Thailand 2019.
“Fair enough there’s a smudged stamp, but who’s to say that didn’t happen when they stamped it and closed the passport. I can’t think of a time where it’s come into contact with water, the picture page was perfectly fine.
“They said I couldn’t fly because it was damaged. 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 the departure lounge. We were stressed because of all the money we’d spent.”
Josh, who is an industrial electrician, claims he has travelled with the same passport 12 times in the last year with no issue. Nevertheless, he frantically applied for a new document after leaving the airport to try and make the rest of their holiday.
But Josh, from Barnsley, South Yorkshire, says holiday provider TUI cancelled the return flight and accommodation in Thailand after the couple were unable to board their outbound flight. Devastated, the couple forked out for a last-minute getaway to Cyprus, but claim Etihad Airways and TUI should now refund them.
Josh said: “We were really looking forward to it. I hadn’t long flown with that passport so I didn’t think there was anything wrong with it. I travelled 12 times in 11 months with that passport and had no issues.
“We arrived at the Etihad Airways check-in and we got to the desk and he looked at both our passports and said they were both water-damaged.
“The duty manager started checking them and taking photos of them. Half an hour passed and I kept asking what was happening. No one told us anything about what was happening, she just turned around and said ‘I’m really sorry but you can’t fly’.”
How to replace or renew a UK passport
The electrician, who was eventually able to get a new passport within two days, has complained to TUI and Etihad Airways and is demanding compensation. He added: “I felt really disappointed because there was no empathy or remorse from Etihad Airways.
“I know they probably see it daily but people save up all year to go on holiday. For someone on the check-in desk to just say ‘you’re not going’, I can’t understand how someone can 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. We were absolutely gutted, it was soul-destroying. I just hope it doesn’t happen to anyone else. We’d like our money back. We’ve had no help from TUI or Etihad.”
An Etihad spokesperson said: “A passenger flying from Manchester to Phuket on 7 October was denied boarding due to visible water damage in their passport at the time of check-in.
“Etihad consulted Thailand’s immigration authorities who advised the airline not to board the passenger based on the passport’s condition.
“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.
“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.”
Dan Bowes had no known allergies when he boarded his outbound flight to Turkey. But he suddenly experienced a “severe” allergic reaction – and it meant he was prevented from boarding the aircraft at the end of his holiday
Dan Bowes has said he was given conflicting information from the airline, which turned his enjoyable holiday into a ‘nightmare’(Image: Dan Bowes/Chronicle Live)
A holiday-maker has claimed he was left stranded after he was refused boarding on his return flight because of an allergic reaction.
Dan Bowes had no known allergies when boarding the outbound flight to Dalaman, Turkey. But he says he suddenly experienced a “severe” allergic reaction, with his throat swelling, breathing difficulties and itchy, puffy eyes. The cabin crew were “fantastic” and acted swiftly to get the 32-year-old the care he needed. But, on the way home, he claims he was “refused” boarding by the same airline, Jet2, over a missing piece of paperwork.
“I instantly panicked,” the business owner, from Consett, County Durham, told NeedToKnow. “I made over 18 calls to Jet2’s emergency line, following different and conflicting advice each time. “I rushed to the local hospital, had the form completed and it was sent to the airline that afternoon.
“At the airport, staff accepted the paperwork, checked me in and took photos of the form. But just five minutes before boarding, I received a call saying the form had been rejected.”
Dan claims the paperwork, a medical information form (MEDIF), was refused since the doctor had missed his name on the second page and wrote ‘N/A’ in medical history. As a result, Dan was escorted out of Dalaman Airport on 17 July 2025 and his luggage was removed. He said: “I was dumped outside the airport main entrance at midnight with no help, no hotel and no guidance.
“I was later told I could’ve flown with another airline without the form, despite being told all day it was mandatory across all carriers. By that point, though, every flight to the UK had gone.”
Dan, and his friend Clair Maskery, 33, were left having to fork out £400 for emergency accommodation, food, and transport back to Marmaris. Thankfully, the next day, they were allowed home on the last Jet2 flight that night after resending a new MEDIF form through.
But Dan said it was the conflicting information from the airline that turned his enjoyable holiday into a “nightmare”. He explained: “After we arrived, a letter was left under my hotel room door asking me to meet a Jet2 rep. She handed me a MEDIF form and said I needed to see the hotel doctor, as well as obtain a Fit to Fly certificate.
“I immediately went to the doctor, though he said I had a throat infection. I was issued the Fit to Fly, though I was told the MEDIF form wasn’t required.
“I returned to the rep, handed her my certificate and she reassured me that would be enough. So, naturally, I assumed I was cleared to travel. But when checking out of the hotel, she told me I couldn’t fly.”
Dan filed a formal complaint and later obtained their internal records. He claims there were multiple errors, including different medications administered and false information, such as him “refusing” to fill in a MEDIF.
He also alleges that the airline hasn’t yet provided a full list of onboard meals and ingredients – despite repeated requests -since his doctors need this information to determine his allergy, which could be life-threatening.
Dan added: “I did everything Jet2’s own rep and doctor advised. I followed every instruction I was given, double-checked twice and was told everything was fine.
“Their failure to communicate properly and process information correctly led to me being stranded abroad, financially out of pocket and mentally exhausted.
“This isn’t about me refusing paperwork, it’s about a company failing in its duty of care, giving contradictory information and abandoning paying customers in a foreign country.”
A spokesperson for Jet2 said: “Due to Mr Bowes falling ill on his outbound flight, our team followed standard procedure and advised him that he would need a Medical Information Form (MEDIF) to be completed by a doctor for his return flight home.
“As the form was not completed, Mr Bowes was regrettably informed that he would not be able to travel on his inbound flight. The health and safety of our customers will always be our number one priority. Following receipt of Mr Bowes’ completed form, we are pleased to confirm he was able to travel with us the following day.”
Ryanair will only offer digital boarding passes from November 12, leading to fears that tech-phobes will be unable to fly – and the company’s boss Michael O’Leary could be to blame
The new rule comes into force today(Image: Getty)
Ryanair’s new boarding rules take effect today, with Brits warned not to get caught out and risk incurring a large fee.
Today, the budget carrier has switched entirely to digital boarding passes. This means travellers who have purchased tickets will no longer be able to download and print them before arriving at the airport – an option currently used by 20 per cent of Ryanair passengers, according to the airline.
Desks at the airports will no longer offer the option to print them, which incurred a fee of £55. It is likely that a similar fee will be charged to those who arrive at the airport without having downloaded their digital boarding pass.
All Ryanair has said is that “If you have already checked-in online and your smartphone or tablet is lost, you will receive a free of charge boarding pass at the airport.” That implies that a £55 late-check-in fee will be levied on those who don’t or aren’t able to check-in online before they get to the airport.
There are significant concerns that passengers without use of a mobile phone, or those who are less tech-savvy, may be caught out. A sizeable 2.06 million Brits aged over 55 do not have one of the handy devices, according to MoneySuperMarket. This equates to around 10 per cent of the age group.
With the new rule, customers will have to use the digital boarding pass created by the myRyanair app after they check in. Ryanair stated that 206 million of its passengers already use digital boarding passes, suggesting approximately 40 million journeys could potentially be affected.
The company’s chief executive, Michael O’Leary, said that his 86-year-old mother uses the Ryanair app to travel. Nevertheless, the decision has sparked criticism, with several campaign groups accusing the airline of ageism.
Dennis Reed, director of Silver Voices, told The Telegraph: “It’s a disgraceful move. They are effectively saying they don’t want older people as passengers. There’s a strong argument to say that it’s discriminatory.”
Several worried readers contacted The Mirror to voice their concerns about the change. One said: “I have elderly in-laws who live in Spain. They won’t be able to download anything onto their phone. They’re not tech-savvy, so what will happen when they travel to the UK? I appreciate the need to utilise technology, but that will not work for a lot of passengers.”
Another said: “This seems discriminatory to people, such as the elderly, who, for various reasons, are not able to use smartphones. By Ryanair’s own admission, some 20% of passengers do not use smartphones currently for boarding passes. It may backfire. Ryanair will lose these customers who will turn to alternative providers without such a policy.”
Mr O’Leary, aged 64, was swift to dismiss such concerns. He said: “I’m old, and I travel with Ryanair on a very, very regular basis, and I use the Ryanair app, it is pretty simple, pretty easy to use.” For those especially worried about the change, Mr O’Leary indicated the airline would show flexibility, assuring that “nobody would be cut off at the knees.”
He stated it would be “reasonably forgiving” of passengers arriving with paper boarding passes throughout Christmas and into January.
“The critical thing: If you’ve checked online before you get there and you lose your phone, we’ll have your name in the system,” he said. “We will manually board you at the boarding gate so if your phone goes off, you lose your phone, your phone gets stolen, it is not going to make any issue as long as you checked in online before you got to the boarding gate, which, by the way, would eliminate all the check-in fees at the airport.”
Mr O’Leary dismissed suggestions that elderly passengers would struggle with the changes as patronising.
“Actually, what you find is the old people firstly just get their kids or grandkids to make bookings for them, and then pretty quickly they’re adopting it themselves. And it is slightly patronising, this notion that old people can’t and won’t move to mobile technology or to the apps,” he said, MailOnline reported.
The switch was pushed back by a week to November 12 to avoid the UK and Irish half-term period.
Ryanair chief marketing officer Dara Brady said: “To ensure a seamless transition to 100 per cent digital boarding passes for our customers, we will make the switch from November 12, which is traditionally a slightly quieter time for travel following the busy mid-term break period.
“Ryanair’s move to 100 per cent digital boarding passes will mean a faster, smarter, and greener travel experience for our customers, streamlined through our best-in-class ‘myRyanair’ app, where passengers will also benefit from helpful in-app features, like Order to Seat and live flight information.”
The budget airline will implement the new rule from November 12
Ryanair will implement a major change from this week(Image: F9Photos/Getty Images)
Ryanair will bring in a major change from Wednesday (November 12) in a move aimed at improving its airport experience for passengers. The change – which will see the airline adopt 100% Digital Boarding Passes (DBP) – means travellers will no longer be able to download or print a physical paper ticket, and must instead access it in their Ryanair App.
This scheme, initially scheduled for May 2025, intends to eliminate check-in charges, save around 300 tonnes of paper each year, and provide travellers with direct flight updates. The budget airline claimed that almost 80% of its over 207 million annual passengers have already adapted to the transition.
In an update last week Ryanair CMO, Dara Brady, explained: “While over 80% of passengers already use Digital Boarding Passes, and therefore won’t be affected by this progressive change, we remind the small number of passengers who still print boarding passes to download the myRyanair app ahead of the move to 100% digital boarding passes from Wednesday, 12 November.
“Moving fully digital means a faster, smarter, and greener experience for passengers, whilst also providing easier access to a range of innovative in-app features, including ‘Order to Seat’, live flight information and direct updates during disruption. We look forward to delivering an enhanced travel experience for 100% of our customers, streamlined through our best-in-class myRyanair app.”
If you’re worried about the practicalities of Ryanair’s change, look no further. Below, the Mirror has explored all the essential details you need to know before November 12, including instructions on check-in and accessing your DBPs.
1. What is a DBP, and how do I get one?
A DBP, or Digital Boarding Pass, is the electronic ticket you receive after checking in with Ryanair. Starting from November 12, passengers will be required to use a DBP rather than a physical ticket to board a Ryanair flight.
Passengers can check in online at Ryanair.com or through the Ryanair App, available on Apple’s App Store and Google Play. To avoid additional fees, travellers should complete this step before arriving at the airport.
After checking in, a DBP will automatically appear in the Ryanair App. You will need to present this at airport security and the boarding gate before your flight.
However, please note that for flights from Morocco on or after November 12, passengers must check in online as usual and then present their DBP at the airport to receive a printed boarding pass. This physical boarding pass must then be shown to board flights.
Besides displaying your DBP, the Ryanair App also offers several other features that may be useful before boarding. According to the airline’s website, this includes the following:
Order to seat abilities: Place food and drink orders via your phone to receive priority service.
Live flight information: Get real-time updates on boarding, gate changes, and delays.
Direct updates: Receive instant notifications from Ryanair’s operations centre during disruptions.
Alternative flight options: Access real-time information on alternative flights during disruptions.
Travel documents: View all your travel documents in one easy-to-access location.
2. What happens if my phone dies or I lose it before boarding?
Losing your mobile can be very stressful, but Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary reassures that it won’t stop you from boarding your flight. In a previous interview on The Independent’s daily travel podcast, he said: “The big concern that people have is: ‘What happens if I lose my battery or what if I lose my phone?’
“…If you lose your phone, no issue. As long as you’ve checked in before you got to the airport, we’ll reissue a paper boarding pass at the airport free of charge.”
O’Leary also mentioned that if a mobile device has run out of power, staff will have each traveller’s ‘sequence number’ at the departure gate. Therefore, passengers can still board without it, so there’s no need to worry.
Advice on Ryanair’s website mirrors this, adding: “If you have already checked in online and you lose your smartphone or tablet (or it dies), your details are already on our system and you will be assisted at the gate.”
After completing the online check-in, your DBP can be accessed offline through the Ryanair App. This means there’s no need for Wi-Fi or mobile data to view it.
3. What if I don’t check in online before arriving at the airport?
All Ryanair travellers should get reminders to check in online 24 to 48 hours prior to their flight departure. If they do not check in before arriving at the airport, they will be required to pay a fee.
Currently, the fee is £55/€55 per passenger for the majority of flights. However, passengers departing from Spain are required to pay £30/€30, while those leaving Austria will be charged £40/€40.
Ryanair’s website adds: “The fee is charged per passenger and per sector.”
Meghan Law, who is an NHS nurse, has expressed her anger after her teenage son Alix Dawson was not allowed to board the Qatar Airways plane for Phuket, Thailand
Meghan Law is pictured with her sons; Alix Dawson (left) and 10-year-old Cole(Image: Kennedy News and Media)
A mum has blasted Qatar Airways after her 13-year-old son was denied boarding their flight for Thailand.
Meghan Law said there was “no justification” for her experience at Edinburgh Airport, which threatened to derail her £3,000 family holiday. Check-in staff, though, told Meghan there was a “luggage sticker mark” on Alix Dawson’s passport, which they said constituted “damage”.
The mum was ordered to go to Glasgow Airport — around 50 miles away — for a new emergency document. Scrambling to salvage her family’s holiday, Meghan contacted TUI, who she had booked the trip with, for their advice. The tour operator found no issues with the passport and put them on the next available flight to Thailand.
But Meghan, 33, has now vowed to never use Qatar Airways again. The NHS nurse, who has two kids, said: “If I hadn’t booked through TUI and booked it myself, we just wouldn’t have been able to go on holiday. One way from Glasgow on the same day of travel would’ve been £2,800. There’s no way I would’ve been able to pay that.
“I’d never had an experience like that at any other airport. There was no justification for it. I’ll never fly with Qatar again. It ruined the start of the trip – it was so stressful.”
Meghan, who lives in Aberdeen, has now returned from her two-week holiday, but wants to raise awareness of her experience. HM Passport Office classes a passport as damaged for several reasons, including if details are indecipherable, if there are missing or detached pages and if there is a chemical or ink spillage on any page.
But Meghan said Alix’s document had neither of these issues, and had previously been accepted dozens of times at airports. She continued: “I said I’ve used this umpteen times. No one’s ever mentioned any damage on it before. There were no rips or stains, I don’t know what she was trying to imply. I was really shocked.
“She told me that I need to get an emergency passport from Glasgow Airport. Then she said actually it’s not your passport that’s the problem, it’s your child’s, Alix.
“What they were trying to say was that the luggage check-in stickers that had been stuck on one of the pages [and] had damaged the page. But it wasn’t even on the photo page.
“There were no rips, it was just where the sticker marks had been. They said we couldn’t travel with it. I knew there were no issues with their passports. We’d probably travelled over a dozen times with those passports. We were just left in the airport with no help and no advice.”
The Mirror has contacted Qatar Airways for comment.
