Woman Claims She Was ‘Treated Like A Criminal’ After Losing Passport On Flight
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A woman in her sixties was refused entry to Spain and 'treated like a criminal' after she lost her passport mid-flight.
Sharon Dempsey, 66, was left in a ‘terrible state’ after allegedly being made to spend the night at Alicante Airport where she was only offered ‘bread rolls and water’.
Sharon’s daughter Adele said her mum was ‘treated like a criminal’ and ‘left in tears’ by the ordeal.
Explaining that her mum had her passport when she boarded a flight from Glasgow to Alicante, Adele told Glasgow Live it wasn’t until Sharon was riding a shuttle bus from the plane to Alicante Airport that she realised the travel document was missing.
At that point, Adele said her mum ‘started to panic’. In a bid to help her mum out, Adele spoke to the Consulate and was told Sharon needed to book a flight back to Scotland using emergency documents.
However, such documents can take up to two days to arrive and Sharon wasn’t allowed to enter Spain as the country now requires holidaymakers to have their passport stamped.
Sharon was eventually allowed to board a flight to London. From there, she made her own way back up to Glasgow. Adele said her mum had ‘police escorts’ at both airports.
Adele said of her mum’s ordeal: "She knows for certain that she had it when she boarded the plane as she had it open in case it needed to be checked.
“It wasn't checked on the plane so she put it back in her bag which was then kept under the seat in front of her."
She added: "She was in a terrible state. She said she hadn't even washed her face and felt so dirty and was left in tears."
"I know that rules are rules but she was being treated like a criminal - not just someone who had accidentally lost her passport."
Back in November, the UK government issued a warning to Brits about making sure their passports are stamped when they leave Spain.
The Foreign Office advice said, according to The Express: “Check your passport is stamped if you enter or exit the Schengen area through Spain as a visitor.
“Border guards will use passport stamps to check you’re complying with the 90-day-visa-free limit for short stays in the Schengen area.
“If relevant entry or exit stamps are not in your passport, border guards will presume that you have overstayed your visa-free limit.
“You can show evidence of when and where you exited or entered the Schengen area, and ask the border guards to add this date and location in your passport. Examples of acceptable evidence include boarding passes and tickets.”
LADbible has approached Alicante Airport for comment.
