An Australian traveler has shared a cautionary tale for those planning trips abroad after encountering issues with her passport that prevented her from flying.
Renee Reader was scheduled to fly from the Gold Coast to Bali, with a planned layover in Melbourne.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, the 30-year-old recounted how she successfully cleared security but faced a passport issue when attempting to board her Virgin Australia flight to the Indonesian destination.
“When I was boarding the girl said ‘I don’t know about this one’,” Renee recounted.
Her passport was examined by another Virgin staff member who reportedly took photographs of it, leaving Renee in suspense.
Eventually, she was informed that she would not be allowed to board the flight.
“She [the Virgin employee] said ‘I’m just going to let you know, you’re not going to Bali today. You’re not getting on this flight’,” Renee shared.
“I started crying, I was devastated, so heartbroken.”
Virgin staff noted a stain on her passport, identifying black marks at the bottom of the document.
Renee has since advised other travelers to inspect their passports before flying and has urged airlines to clarify what constitutes ‘too damaged’ for travel.
She commented: “There needs to be some sort of process because what they deem to be damaged is not what we would deem as damaged.
“Where can people go and actually figure this out before they fly?
“This is not what I would consider a damaged passport but for Virgin it was like the worst thing they have ever seen.”
A Virgin Australia spokesperson explained the protocol for checking travel documents: “When a guest presents for check-in for an international flight, Virgin Australia team members are required to ensure they have the necessary travel documentation and that the documents are in suitable condition.
“We assess travel documentation in line with guidance provided by the Australian Government and various immigration departments.
“To assist our guests with preparation for travel we provide general guidance on damaged passports on the Virgin Australia website, in our Conditions of Carriage, and in pre-flight communication.”
@gracefulguidance__ No one will break your heart as badly as an airline will 💔 @Virgin Australia #traveltiktok #bali #struggles #heartbroken #trusttheprocess
After being denied boarding, Renee was escorted from the gate to a flight back to the Gold Coast.
“I felt like I was a criminal,” she confessed.
The incident reportedly cost Renee $2,000, and she never made it to her vacation spot.
She lamented: “I was excited for this trip to go and stay at a retreat in Bali. This was time for me.
“I’ve had that passport with that stain on it since 2022 and I’ve been to Europe since then. I’ve flown to Bali twice.
“This would have been my fourth overseas holiday with that exact passport and stain.
“If I thought it would have been an issue I would have obviously gotten a new passport.”
Virgin Australia noted that Renee’s passport had ‘an evident yellow water stain across the photo page’ and informed her that she could reschedule her flight without additional fees once she obtained a new passport.