MEP grounded at Durham Tees Airport over passport mix-up
23.05.07
A Labour MEP was forced to watch his plane take off without him after a passport mix-up earlier this week. Immigration officials refused to allow MEP Stephen Hughes to board the flight from Durham Tees Valley Airport to Brussels on Monday. He did not have his British passport on him and showed his diplomatic document, but was refused permission to board.
Mr Hughes was using his diplomatic passport because his British one was with the Chinese Embassy, ahead of a Parliamentary visit to Tibet. He contacted his office in Durham and his staff were able to direct the officials to an immigration website that confirmed the legal status of the passport.
He said: 'It was farcical. I was left waiting at the gate for half an hour while I watched fellow passengers board the flight and take off. I told them they were breaking the law by refusing to allow me to travel.'
Airline Eastern Airways said the decision was a mistake and apologised. A spokesman said a handling agent had questioned the validity of the passport and had contacted immigration officials for advice.
'Brussels immigration's initial response was that the document was unacceptable for travel. Subsequently, it has been confirmed that the document was in fact acceptable. We apologise that the passenger's travel plans were disrupted and we made alternative arrangements.' Mr Hughes flew to Brussels on Tuesday.
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