Even though her UK passport is valid for travel to Malta and the rest of the European Union until late March, ground staff wrongly offloaded Ms Heath – and then blamed her for having an “expired” passport, when the document was perfectly valid.
Passenger turfed off British Airways Christmas flight as Gatwick ground staff get passport rules wrong again Exclusive: Sue Heath was taken off the plane to Malta and wrongly told she had ‘messed up’.
“The gate agent was concerned about my passport not being acceptable, and initially said I could not board the flight,” Ms Heath said.
“I was told my passport was not valid for the EU,” said Ms Heath, who has spent much of her working life in travel.
Sunny skies and a Mediterranean breeze: that was what awaited holidaymakers aboard British Airways flight 2616 from London Gatwick to Malta two days before Christmas.
