Damaged Passport! Going to UK from Ireland via Ryanair.

[Deleted User] · 04/10/11 - 19:17

I'm flying to Dublin this week. My passport is damaged. It's biometric. It's got a few dog ears (which I may be able to sort out) -- but the main problem is that for some reason, the ink of the passport seems to have leaked/smudged (I don't know how), and created a border around the ID page with the photo.

I've learned my lesson, etc. thing is, I don't think it's THAT damaged for them to turn me away (or that it looks like it's been tampered -- the ink bleed goes through several pages), but if the person at passport control is particularly spiteful, they may do so. I would have thought they would be able to prove my identity by scanning it, though? Apparently not, as I've read a report that some guy was turned away just for having a bent corner on the ID page.

Now the wait's going to be unbearable. Has anyone had any experience with this? Aren't Ryanair particularly spiteful with these things?

Do I have to be extra nice and humble and pray for the best?

[Deleted User] · 04/10/11 - 19:21

Try calling into your local Police station and ask if you are that worried. I dont think they are that strict on Ryanair flights. I used to fly over from Bristol to Dublin quite frequently and I never really got asked for my passport they would just glance at it.Have you a drivers license? They will accept that AFAIK x

[Deleted User] · 04/10/11 - 19:30

IrishChick wrote: »

Have you a drivers license? They will accept that AFAIK x

Actually RyanAir are about the only UK-Ireland air carrier that now INSIST on a Passport, no other forms of photo ID are OK as far as they are concerned, this came in around Oct 2009!

Check their website, it confirm this.

[Deleted User] · 04/10/11 - 19:35

Sorry my mistake OP x

Murraymar · 04/10/11 - 19:53

My 10 year passport is out next year and is so battered even the national emblem on the front has faded. I went to the US this summer without any probs but as Irish chick says call in to your local police station.

[Deleted User] · 04/10/11 - 19:57

I think if it were any other airline, I'd be less worried. Since it's Ryanair, and I keep hearing how they look for any excuse to charge passengers/deny them a flight, I'm worried that I could be in trouble.

Cruachan · 04/10/11 - 20:00

IrishChick wrote: »

Try calling into your local Police station and ask if you are that worried....

Murraymar wrote: »

... but as Irish chick says call in to your local police station.

Is this a service the police service provides in Eire? I'm not sure that popping into a UK police station to ask about the validity of a passport would get one very far.

topp · 04/10/11 - 20:02

IrishChick wrote: »

Try calling into your local Police station and ask if you are that worried. I dont think they are that strict on Ryanair flights. I used to fly over from Bristol to Dublin quite frequently and I never really got asked for my passport they would just glance at it.Have you a drivers license? They will accept that AFAIK x

How would the police help?

Serious question.

Keefy-boy · 04/10/11 - 20:03

Murraymar wrote: »

as Irish chick says call in to your local police station.

I don't think that will be helpful. You are highly unlikely to encounter an expert who can give a definitive answer, there possibly isn't a definitive answer, it may come down to one individual's subjective opinion at the departure airport.

[Deleted User] · 04/10/11 - 20:09

Looking at the ID page now, the person would have to be completely evil/ruthless to deny my entry. =/

far2cool · 04/10/11 - 20:45

Yeah Yeah wrote: »

Now the wait's going to be unbearable. Has anyone had any experience with this? Aren't Ryanair particularly spiteful with these things?

Do I have to be extra nice and humble and pray for the best?

It wont be ryanair you have to worry about, It's the border control.

davidmcn · 04/10/11 - 20:56

far2cool wrote: »

It wont be ryanair you have to worry about, It's the border control.

Well, it's both. You won't get as far as border control if Ryanair don't like the look of your passport.

Nansbread · 04/10/11 - 21:14

There is no border control between UK and Ireland. The only person you have to fool is the grumpy lowpaid high school dropout on the check in desk. Trick is to ask them a question at the exact point he she is looking at your passport. Make it a reasonably smart question like
'is the plane on time' or 'do irish shops accept sterling'. That should distract them enough.

need i say more.

[Deleted User] · 04/10/11 - 23:11

Flying from the UK to ireland they didn't even bother checking my passport when i got there! Flying back was even easier, no guards, no security nothing. Got off the plane, walked down the corridor and was at the front of the airport standing in the car park! Was ryanair both ways

[Deleted User] · 05/10/11 - 11:12

casper_uk wrote: »

Flying from the UK to ireland they didn't even bother checking my passport when i got there! Flying back was even easier, no guards, no security nothing. Got off the plane, walked down the corridor and was at the front of the airport standing in the car park! Was ryanair both ways

That's quite encouraging. But don't they have to check the boarding pass details against the passport before you baord the plane?

I'm currently flattening my passport using my television. It looks a bit less dog-eared now. I've heard reports of people getting through with worse passports than mine, but I again, I guess it depends if the person is feeling spiteful.

topp · 05/10/11 - 12:38

Yeah Yeah wrote: »

That's quite encouraging. But don't they have to check the boarding pass details against the passport before you baord the plane?

I'm currently flattening my passport using my television. It looks a bit less dog-eared now. I've heard reports of people getting through with worse passports than mine, but I again, I guess it depends if the person is feeling spiteful.

I think your worrying a little bit too much.

I was with a friend going to Turkey and their passport was held together by threads. Seriously. Still got through and back. I have been in customs queues and some peoples documents look like they have been through war zones and shredders and still have no problem.

Saying that, I have also been on the way back from Pakistan and a friend (not travelling with me, just on same flight) was stopped on the way back, and his passport was brand spanking new. He was held up in immigration (UK Citizen lol) for 8 hours.

EDIT

Ryanir? LOL
They probably have a 'charge' you can pay to get through. Seem to have one for everything else.

BrunoStreete · 05/10/11 - 13:19

IrishChick wrote: »

Try calling into your local Police station and ask if you are that worried. I dont think they are that strict on Ryanair flights. I used to fly over from Bristol to Dublin quite frequently and I never really got asked for my passport they would just glance at it.Have you a drivers license? They will accept that AFAIK x

How would the Police be able to help?

grumpyscot · 05/10/11 - 14:06

Ryanair will probably charge you £40 to try to read your passport, then charge you another £40 just to speak to you.

[Deleted User] · 05/10/11 - 14:13

Nansbread wrote: »

There is no border control between UK and Ireland. The only person you have to fool is the grumpy lowpaid high school dropout on the check in desk. Trick is to ask them a question at the exact point he she is looking at your passport. Make it a reasonably smart question like
'is the plane on time' or 'do irish shops accept sterling'. That should distract them enough.

need i say more.

Nice Tip

[Deleted User] · 05/10/11 - 17:44

If I speak while they're checking the passport, wouldn't that make it obvious that I'm trying to distract them? =P

Abbasolutely 40 · 05/10/11 - 17:54

Yeah Yeah wrote: »

If I speak while they're checking the passport, wouldn't that make it obvious that I'm trying to distract them? =P

If you are going from Dublin they will check you boarding card and passport at security to check they are the same person .And again at the gate passport and boarding card .I have just been and regardless of airline you will hav eto go through them

Nansbread · 05/10/11 - 17:55

Yeah Yeah wrote: »

If I speak while they're checking the passport, wouldn't that make it obvious that I'm trying to distract them? =P

i said 'low paid high school dropout':D

soulboy77 · 05/10/11 - 18:06

If it's a biometric passport then if there is any doubt passport control can read this information to confirm your identity. They will definitely scan the biometric data when you arrive back in the UK.

_SpeedRacer_ · 05/10/11 - 18:06

davidmcn wrote: »

Well, it's both. You won't get as far as border control if Ryanair don't like the look of your passport.

Border control don't care about domestic flights or to Ireland and vice versa. I've done a lot of these short hauls and never had my passport checked on other side.

Just show your passport with confidence.

If you're white you'll get away with it lol. If you're Asian or black they might be more suspicious.

[Deleted User] · 05/10/11 - 20:13

Shall I hold it open at the photo page (which hides the slightly creased other pages and the stain on the back inside cover) or shall I I pass the passport to them? I know this seems a bit ridiculous, but anything I can do to help the situation...

Abbasolutely 40 · 05/10/11 - 22:09

Yeah Yeah wrote: »

Shall I hold it open at the photo page (which hides the slightly creased other pages and the stain on the back inside cover) or shall I I pass the passport to them? I know this seems a bit ridiculous, but anything I can do to help the situation...

I always open mine on the ID page and hand it so , so it wont seem odd to do that at all

Hey there!

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Damaged Passport! Going to UK from Ireland via Ryanair.

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