A family endured a distressing ordeal after being held in a Turkish cell for 24 hours due to a passport mistake, resulting in the loss of their £6,000 holiday. Amber Maherloughnan, a 28-year-old mother, traveled from London Gatwick to Antalya, Turkey with her family for a week-long holiday. However, upon arrival, she discovered that her six-year-old son Reuben’s passport was almost four months out of date.
Amber and Reuben were immediately detained by Turkish authorities, held in a room with 13 other people with minimal food and water. They were provided with only a “rotten tomato and an egg” that was allegedly kicked towards them. Despite her fiance’s attempts to obtain a temporary travel document from the Turkish embassy, they were informed that entry was not guaranteed. Consequently, Amber had to make the difficult decision to fly back home the following day, missing out on their planned holiday.
In a poignant social media post, Amber shared a photo of Reuben looking out of the plane window sadly as they returned home, emphasizing the importance of checking children’s passports. Reflecting on the experience, Amber expressed feeling mistreated and vulnerable, highlighting the oversight in airport security procedures that allowed them to board the flight despite the expired passport.
During their detainment, Amber and Reuben faced harsh conditions, with inadequate food, water, and living arrangements. They were allegedly treated like ‘criminal[s]’ by the authorities, adding to the distress of the situation. Despite efforts to rectify the passport issue, they were unable to re-enter Turkey, leading to their abrupt return home.
The ordeal left Amber feeling devastated, having spent £6,000 on the holiday and now facing financial losses. She vowed to be more vigilant in the future to prevent similar incidents. The UK government’s guidelines stipulate that passports must be valid for at least 150 days upon arrival in Turkey, underscoring the importance of timely passport checks.
The matter has raised questions about airport security procedures and passenger responsibilities, with Gatwick Airport attributing passport checks to the airline and Antalya Airport deferring to passport police authorities for comments. Attempts to reach SunExpress airline and Turkish authorities for a response have been initiated.
Such incidents serve as a reminder of the critical importance of ensuring valid passports before travel, avoiding the risk of distressing situations like the one faced by Amber and her family.