Overview
- Airport staff turned Wendy Melville away on 26 October at Luton for a 6am flight to Crete because her passport expires in January 2026 under the 3–6 month validity requirement.
- Her husband, Gerry, and their children, Henry, 16, and Kate, 13, continued the trip while she remained behind in tears.
- She booked the earliest passport appointment two days later, waited four hours for a new document, and rejoined the family on day three of the holiday.
- The disruption cost her about £442, including £250 for the passport, £106 for a hotel near Gatwick, and £86 for a replacement flight.
- She says online check-in did not warn of the issue and urges travelers to verify passport expiry dates and country-specific entry rules.