Denied Boarding due to 'faulty' passport

[RIAD_BSC]

This thread is full of smoke and mirrors, red herrings and whatever other cliches you want to apply to it. But it is all boils down to couple of simple issues.

1) - Was the OP's husband's passport invalid? The answer (despite all the noise coming from Brendan and others) is that we don't know, because it was never viewed by a competent passport authority. If Aer Lingus deems itself to be a competent authority to decide what is valid and what isn't, then it should tell people what the criteria are for a valid passport (which it didn't do). Many people (including the OP's husband) might not realise that a dog-ear and mildly damaged lamination make a passport invalid - I'm still not even sure that this is the case.

2) - Did Aer Lingus act appropriately? It is possible to argue 'No' to this question. Other Aer Lingus staff on the day saw no problem with the passport (which had also been used recently to fly with other airlines). It seems that a single member of AL staff was at the centre of this (she also refused another couple the same morning for the same issue). She may have been over-the-top in her judgement. She should have checked with the American INS desk in Dublin airport, and she didn't. (The OP could not have checked, because this desk is airside). The AL member of staff's actions appear to me to have been rash, arbitrary and just plain wrong, considering what was at stake for the OP. We don't know if €20,000 was at stake for AL, because we don't know the OP's destination. If it was JFK, then immigration would have been cleared in Dublin, and AL would not have been on the hook for any fine, no matter what the INS decided in relation to the passport.

3 - Should the OP pursue Aer Lingus for compensation? Despite the howls of righteous indignation on this thread from those who think "they shouldn't have to pay for it" (whatever that means), of course the OP should pursue it. What does the OP and her husband have to lose? They might win something, they might not. But they are perfectly entitled to fight their corner.

 

[Bronte]

This has gone mad. I've googled and found this so far from 3 different websites. Some people have never heard of personal responsibility. We are talking about passports for entry to the USA. It's taken exceedingly seriously in the US.

Condition of Passports

Passports must be in good condition. Continental may not accept passengers for international travel and may deny boarding if a passport is damaged beyond normal wear and tear and/or there is evidence of intentional or material alterations or mutilations. Examples of conditions of passports that may result in denied boarding include passports with significant tears, holes, or stains, as well as any changes, obliterations, or alterations, or any other damage which affect the integrity of the passport and/or the identification of the holder, such as the name, date of birth, citizenship and document number. For example, a passport with faded data, missing or severely torn, cut, or chewed pages or cover, missing picture, picture which can be removed from under the laminate or one which requires tape or staples to hold it together, or which has been substantially damaged by liquids, chemicals, or fire, may result in denied boarding. To ensure your travel plans are not interrupted, please make sure your passport is in good condition before you leave. For more information about U.S. passports, please visit the U.S. Department of State website:


Is not damaged, defaced or excessively worn (any one of these can mean your passport is invalid for travel) New Zealand


To be valid, it cannot be mutilated, altered, or damaged in any way.

 

[Brendan Burgess]

Slash's post and this little treasure earlier from ontour cheers me up no end.

+1

I thought you were serious first - it wasn't until I got to Homeland Security that I realised, maybe you are not serious.

brendan

 

[Brendan Burgess]

From the Aer Lingus website itself which I have quoted in aprevious thread.

It is each passenger's personal responsibility to ensure that they have valid documentation, which meets the requirements of Aer Lingus, immigration and other government authorities

People have to take personal responsibility.

Don't blame someone else for any losses you sustain due to your own errors.

Brendan

 

[elcato]

This thread is full of smoke and mirrors, red herrings and whatever other cliches you want to apply to it.

So going forward let's prune a bit of low hanging fruit.

If Aer Lingus deems itself to be a competent authority to decide what is valid and what isn't, then it should tell people what the criteria are for a valid passport (which it didn't do).

They obviously are and exercised this to the OP.

She should have checked with the American INS desk in Dublin airport, and she didn't.

Why ? So lets hold up everybody else and do this for everyone ? Make sure you get to the check-in desk five days before departure then.

Other Aer Lingus staff on the day saw no problem with the passport (which had also been used recently to fly with other airlines).

This reminds me of when I worked in the bars in an earlier life. An old chestnut. Let someone bar a person and disappear and then all the other staff say 'You look fine to me mate and I'd serve you but I'll get sacked if I do'. So only one guy is the baddy and the rest are his buddy. Still has to leave.