by A COUPLE was devastated after missing their dream vacation due to a simple mistake.
Janet and Jim Baker, 75 and 65, had booked a cruise vacation to Norway together.
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The couple cashed in on some of their savings and pensions and said they decided to book the once-in-a-lifetime trip together.
However, the pair were turned away at the port after making a mistake with Janet’s passport.
Britons must now have at least three more months on their passports, which TUI, who they booked the cruise with, said Janet did not.
Their son, John, said they were devastated and confused when they were stopped from boarding.
He said, “She apparently kept asking Jim what was going on.
“Jim was so embarrassed because he knows administration just isn’t his forte, that’s why they used TUI for everything. He felt like he had let mum down.”
Not only did they miss the cruise, but they also missed other excursions, including seeing the Northern Lights.
John said they booked the trip to celebrate Janet being made safe after a cancer diagnosis – only to have her diagnosed with dementia.
He added: “They decided to make it a trip that Mom could really cherish and make some happy memories.”
John lashed out at TUI saying they should have reported the matter to them when they booked the trip which they did through the Tunbridge Wells branch.
However, a TUI spokesperson said: “We fully understand Mr and Mrs Baker’s disappointment at not being able to travel on their cruise as planned.
“We always follow the guidelines of the FCDO, which states that a customer may not be allowed entry to some countries if their passport has less than six months.
“Our systems do not hold any passport details for Mr and Mrs Baker and we have no evidence that they went to the store to provide this.
“Since their passports unfortunately did not meet the criteria, our terms and conditions apply.”
They are not the only Britons caught out by the new passport rules.
Last month, a woman was stopped from boarding her easyJet flight after not realizing her passport had expired.
And a woman’s £2,000 holiday was ruined for the same reason.
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