Family devastated after passport rule forces them to cancel 'dream' holiday

A family have been forced to miss their first holiday together after passport rules left their vacation plans in tatters.

Charlotte Wilton, 36, was shocked to be barred from boarding her flight to Athens by easyJet staff. She was travelling with her speech coach husband Matt, her six-year-old Ronnie and her 18-month-old daughter Ciara, when she was told she could not board.

Her passport, which was still valid for another five months, was over 10 years old - which means she cannot enter the EU under new post-Brexit rules.

READ MORE: Arrogant spa receptionist fired after two DAYS takes 'sophisticated' revenge

EasyJet said Charlotte will not be eligible for compensation as it is a passenger's responsibility to ensure they had the right documentation for travel, The Mirror reports.

Charlotte, from Somerset, has spoken about her disappointment after she was forced to tell her six-year-old son his ‘dream’ holiday to Greece was cancelled - saying his face was the “worst part “ of the incident.

“We got to the front of the queue, and Ronnie had everything checked first and ran straight onto the boarding bridge as he was so excited to get on the plane,” she said.

“My husband took my infant from me, had everything checked and was about to go through, but then the guy looked at mine, showed it to his manager and the guy came over and told me ‘you can’t board the plane - your passport has run out’."

The trip, which was the first since Ciara had been born and the first time Ronnie had left the country, came at a time when the family was in need of a break and a re-group, Charlotte said, following Covid and a number of health scares.

Matt, 49, was recovering from a battle with cancer and also suffers from fibromyalgia - a long-term