“It was also humiliating to have to be escorted back through the airport like a criminal.”
She was left hundreds of pounds out-of-pocket.
Simon Calder, travel correspondent at the Independent, says based on his own research “easily a couple of hundred people a day” are being turned away from their flights.
“Across the year you could easily find that there’s over 100,000 people who lose their holidays as a result of these rules,” he said.
He has written to the airlines, urging them to do more to make people aware, particularly if someone is checking in and inputting their advanced passenger information, often weeks before their travel date.
Airlines UK told us there was no guarantee that potentially invalid passport details would be picked up in advance, and said airlines do provide reminders and links.
It said it was the responsibility of the person travelling to ensure they have a valid travel document.
For those people who are due to travel this weekend and spot a problem with their passport Mr Calder told BBC Breakfast: “I’m afraid all you can do at this stage is try and get an emergency appointment and see if you can get a passport turned around.
“But if you’re travelling later, maybe in the May bank holidays or the summer holidays then you’ve got time on your side and just to stress… it’s only the EU that cares about the issue date, if you’re going to America, Australia, Tunisia they say your passport’s valid up to and including the expiry date.”
If someone is turned back at the airport Mr Calder said they were “absolutely not” covered and would not get their money back. “It’s always the passengers’ responsibility to make sure they are compliant.”
The Home Office also said it provided up-to-date information on passport requirements on its website, which it keeps under constant review.
Fees for new passports and renewals are set to go up in April, external under government plans. A standard online application for an adult is expected to rise from £82.50 to £88.50 from 11 April. A passport for under 16s is currently £53.30 and is set to increase to £57.50.