A woman has warned fellow travellers to check their passports after a small issue meant she was prevented from boarding her flight.
Bronte Gossling was trying to fly from Sydney, Australia to Bali for a tropical holiday now that the country has reopened its borders.
But, she was told she would not be allowed to board the flight at the desk – because her passport was too mouldy!
Having spent £2,200 on flights, an all-inclusive hotel and Covid tests she was devastated to be barred from her Jetstar flight, reports the Sun.
Bronte told her story to radio show 2GB and said: "I handed over my passport and the clerk at the Jetstar desk said 'I can't let you onto the flight' and he pointed to my photo identification page and there was a bit of mould there.
"He told me that customs in Bali wouldn't let me through with this photo page being water damaged and I was shocked."
Rules for travellers heading to Bali changed in 2019 and there are now stricter passport controls in place.
Indonesian authorities can now fine airlines up to £3,292 if they bring people to the island with damaged passports.
And, passengers can be detained at Bali airport and made to return home.
Bronte claims her passport became slightly mouldy having being kept in a drawer for over two years during the travel restrictions placed on Australia over the pandemic.
She thinks it happened during the floods which battered the country alongside high humidity and heavy rain.
But, while Bronte was disappointed to lose her holiday and the costs associated she was grateful to be told while still in Australia so she did not become stranded in Bali.
Other people have been hit by the strict rules while travelling to Bali too.
Footballer Sam Kerr was stopped from boarding a JetStar flight in 2019 as her passport was considered too damaged to fly with.
Images of the passport showed some small marks on the pages which most would consider standard wear and tear.
Meanwhile, couple Richard and Ann Lane, from Lincolnshire, missed three weeks of their dream £7,500 three month trip to the island due to a small hole in one of their passport documents.
Have you ever been barred from a flight? Tell us why in the comments…
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