Spain deports humiliated holidaymaker to Manchester for passport issue that wasn’t her fault
A WOMAN has claimed she was left feeling angry and frustrated after she was sent home on a flight from Spain all on her own because of a passport problem.
The mum of two was due to fly to Gibraltar with easyJet when adverse weather sent her flight to Malaga instead, where the issues arose.
Clavia Dunkley, 39, from Manchester had booked the holiday with her husband and two kids, only for strong winds to divert them to Spain.
From there, the airline had arranged for coaches to take the passengers the rest of the way to their intended destination.
However, because Clavia is the holder of a Jamaican passport, with a UK residence permit, she was not allowed to enter Spain as she didn’t have a Schengen visa, or a British or European passport.
Her residence permit would have granted her entry to Gibraltar, where foreign passport holders with an ‘Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK’ do not require a visa.
Foreign passport holders, with a multiple entry visa for the UK issued for a minimum of six months, may also enter Gibraltar without a separate visa.
As a result, she was sent back to Manchester in what she described as an “unbelievably terrible experience”.
She told Manchester Evening News: “I was told I did not have permission to be in Spain. A bus came to fetch people, but I was not allowed to get off the plane.”
Clavia’s family are all UK passport holders, so were allowed to get off the plane if they wanted to.
However, they refused and wanted to stay with their mother instead, so got on the flight back with her.
The issue left Clavia and her family £2,000 out of pocket after they spent £1,200 on the flights and a further £800 on accommodation.
She said her children were made to feel like they had done something wrong.
She continued: “It was just horrible to watch everyone else walk off and we were left there like we had done something wrong. I thought I was going straight to Gibraltar and wouldn’t have any problems.
“I was angry at first, but now I’m just frustrated. I did nothing wrong and my family had to suffer as a result. My son was terrified. He thought he had done something wrong because everybody else was getting off the plane.”
An easyJet spokesperson told MEN: “Due to strong winds and low visibility conditions in Gibraltar, EZY2267 from Manchester on 21 August was required to divert to Malaga where we arranged for coaches to transfer passengers onwards to Gibraltar.
“Like all airlines, easyJet is required by the authorities in all justifications where we operate to ensure that passengers are able to present the necessary documentation on departure and arrival, to be able to travel.
“Unfortunately, as Ms Dunkley wasn’t able to provide this, she was unable to travel onwards from Malaga to Gibraltar and we flew her back to Manchester.”
The airline said they are planning to offer the family a gesture of goodwill after her holiday nightmare.
They continued: “We are in contact with Ms. Dunkley to apologise for her experience and offer her a gesture of goodwill.”
Sun Online Travel contacted easyJet for further comment.
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