Student denied boarding due to minor passport flaw - this could happen to anyone

Meghan Law and her son Alix were held up at airport during a Qatar Airways flight from Edinburgh to Thailand. The schoolboy was not allowed to board because his passport was deemed damaged due to a baggage sticker. The Daily Mail reported on the incident.

Qatar Airways remained adamant, even though Law insisted they had traveled with the same passport many times before. "No one had ever mentioned any damage before. We've probably flown with this passport over a dozen times. There were no tears or stains; I don't know what she was trying to imply. I was truly shocked."

The family was initially advised to go to Glasgow Airport to obtain an emergency travel document. However, after contacting their tour operator, TUI, they were suddenly able to fly to Thailand with Emirates without any further issues. "If I had booked it myself, we simply wouldn't have been able to go on holiday," Law said.

She suspects the denial may have been due to overbooking of the Qatar Airways flight and is demanding compensation. "There is no justification for this treatment."

A couple recently found themselves at the departure gate in New Zealand in a similarly surprised situation as Alix and his mother. They were denied boarding because they couldn't produce printed boarding passes. Despite having checked in online and traveling with only hand luggage, airport staff refused to print their boarding passes.

An airline spokesperson stated that the check-in counter was closed and passengers would have to validate their boarding passes before departure. The couple was forced to spend $1,200 (approximately €1,140) on new flights and accommodation.