EasyJet is urging all travellers to check their passports carefully before heading to the airport. As many are currently planning their next holidays for 2026, ensuring passports are in good condition has never been more important. Airlines and authorities have warned that a torn, stained, or otherwise damaged passport could prevent you from flying.

Easyjet states on the travel documents and information page on its website: “Your passport needs to be in good condition and signed. UK passports issued after March 2020 may not be printed with a signature, and anyone aged 12 and over must sign their passport to make sure it’s valid for travel. Some countries require that passports be valid for a minimum period beyond your trip, usually three or six months.”

The UK Government also warns: “If your passport is damaged, you must replace it. You may not be able to travel with it.”

One traveller has recently learned this the hard way. Pub landlord Donna Fairclough, 42, and her fiancé, Gary Broadley, 55, were due to fly from Manchester to Malta on January 3, but were refused boarding when a tear was found on Donna’s passport photo page.

Donna claimed that when she was shown the damage, a tear which in photos covers about half of her passport’s photo page, she hadn’t remembered it being nearly that big, Manchester Evening News reported.

She said: “I don’t actually know [when it ripped]. We went to Tenerife last year, and everything was fine. The rip wasn’t as bad as it looks in the photo. At the time, it was a tiny rip above the picture.”

Donna added: “The rip was initially about a quarter of an inch. I was excited to go away. It was heartbreaking because we lost out on a holiday because of a rip. I said to my partner, ‘You can still see my face and my passport number,’ and it didn’t affect any of that. That’s what I couldn’t understand.”

Donna described the experience as “heartbreaking” and urged other travellers to thoroughly inspect their passports before travelling.

She said: “I would tell people to thoroughly check through. Even if it’s a little rip or a little crease. Anything they might think might stop you from flying. Some people might think it’s fine but it’s obviously not as I’m one of the people it’s happened to.”

An easyJet spokesperson said: “We’re sorry to hear that Ms Fairclough was not able to go on her holiday due to her passport being damaged, and we understand how disappointing this must have been.

“Our airline works closely with the authorities and complies with their guidance to ensure the safety and security of customers and crew, and this means we can’t allow anyone to travel if their documentation is damaged.

“As soon as Ms Fairclough reached out to us, we advised on how she could obtain a new passport. We have been back in touch to offer any further support, and we hope we can take her on holiday soon.”

HM Passport Office will consider your passport damaged if:

• You cannot read any of your details
• Any of the pages are ripped, cut or missing
• There are holes, cuts or rips in the cover
• The cover is coming away
• There are stains on the pages (for example, ink or water damage)