Woman issues warning after airline staff refused to let her fly over tiny passport detail

An Australian woman has issued a warning to jet-setters after she claimed airline staff refused to let her fly due to a problem with her passport.

Renee Reader was meant to be traveling from the Gold Coast to Bali - a journey that also included a stopover in Melbourne.

The 30-year-old told the Daily Mail how she had passed through security before encountering a problem with her passport as she tried to board the Virgin Australia flight to the Indonesian island.

"When I was boarding the girl said 'I don't know about this one'," Renee told the outlet.

Her passport was then passed onto another Virgin employee who apparently took pictures of it while an anxious Renee hung tight.

After a bit of a wait, Renee was told she would not be boarding 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'," she said.

"I started crying, I was devastated, so heartbroken."

The passenger said Virgin staff pointed out a stain on her passport, with black marks believed to have been found on the bottom of the travel document.

Renee has since issued a warning to fellow passengers to check on their passports prior to traveling, while also calling on the airlines to make it clearer on what is deemed as 'too damaged' to fly.

She said: "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."

Addressing how they check travel documents, a Virgin Australia spokesperson told UNILAD: "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."

After she was refused boarding onto the flight, Renee said she was escorted from the gate to a flight back to the Gold Coast.

"I felt like I was a criminal," the passenger admitted.

Renee went on to claim the whole ordeal has cost her $2,000 and she didn't even get to her intended destination.

She added: "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 said there was an 'evident yellow water stain across the photo page' on the passport, with the passenger being told they will be able to change their flight at no extra cost once she has obtained new travel documents.