Travel provider gives pensioners full refund following photo ID mishap

Wednesday 28 June 2023

A UK-based coach tour operator has been forced to offer a full refund to a group of passengers who were unable to board their ferry to Jersey as they didn't realise photo ID was required to travel to the island.

The Chronicle Live, a Newcastle-based newspaper, has reported that a group of nine tourists had their holiday ruined when the staff at Poole Ferry terminal wouldn't allow them on the ferry without a form of photographic ID.

One of the party, Iris Butler (81) had paid just under £1,000 for the coach holiday to Jersey which was booked through UK-based tour operator Travelsure. 

According to the Chronicle Live, Iris was completely unaware that it was policy for people to need a photographic ID to travel to the island.  

She had no idea she had left her driving licence at home until staff at Poole Ferry Terminal came onboard their bus to check the passengers' identification. 

The group was told they would have to provide some form of photographic ID, be it a bus pass, driving licence or passport.

Unfortunately, Iris was caught out as she had forgotten to transfer her driving licence into her new purse.

After being turned away, she was forced to make the 388 mile journey back to her home in Alnwick, Northumberland. 

Pictured: Iris Butler (81) had paid just under £1,000 for a coach holiday provided by Travelsure. 

Iris said: "There are eight other people besides me who are affected. We all booked through Travelsure to go to Jersey.

"There is nothing in the 2023 brochure to say you needed a photo ID to get access to Jersey. There is nothing on our invoices or anything we received from them to say that."

She added: "They are saying we have already had two days of holiday, I would say we have had two days of hell, never mind holiday." 

A spokeswoman for Travelsure told the Chronicle Live that the passengers would be given a full refund for their holiday and that travel home was arranged. 

However, Iris was concerned that the same misfortune could befall other unlucky travellers if holiday providers did not inform customers that photo ID was required to travel to Jersey.

Pictured: Iris had forgotten to transfer her driving licence to her new purse. 

She said: "Some [other travellers] knew about it because they had been on the Jersey site. I hadn't been on the Jersey site. It was a right fiasco.

"Personally I'm quite an intelligent person and I hadn't thought to look on the site. I stupidly didn't put my driving licence in my purse.

"If it has happened to us, it could happen to other people travelling to Jersey on their own."

The Ports of Jersey travel advice states: "You should always carry a form of photographic ID with you when you travel. If you do not have a form of photographic ID, it would be wise for you to carry a letter from the Home Office confirming your residential status in the UK." 

For more information on travelling to Jersey, you can click HERE.