Holidaymaker's passport warning as Ryanair refuse flight over easy to miss mistake

Holidaymaker's passport warning as Ryanair refuse flight over easy to miss mistake recounts a travel dispute at the gate that prevented a passenger from boarding. Rachael Norton-Voysey, 33, was refused on her Ryanair flight from Birmingham to Lanzarote on June 4 after staff said her passport was damaged by a small rip of about 1.5 cm. She stated the tear was along the right side of the photo page and did not affect details or the photograph, and she described the situation as shocking, noting there was no further ability to appeal at that point. UK government guidance cited in the story says rips or tears make passports “damaged” and potentially not acceptable for travel, and Ryanair said the refusal was “correct” because the passport was not valid. Norton-Voysey said the same document had been used previously and that the damage may have occurred during an earlier trip.