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Another British couple caught out by passport rules that lost them £3k – with thousands to be affected this summer
Even celebs have been banned from flights due to strict passport rules
ANOTHER Brit couple have been left £3,000 out of pocket after making a common passport mistake.
Huw and Patrica Gosling were due to travel to Sofia in Bulgaria last summer, flying from Birmingham Airport.
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Calling it their "dream" holiday, they planned to see German composer Richard Wagner's Ring Cycle, which is 20 hours of opera over four days.
However, after arriving at the airport, they were told that Huw wasn't allowed to board.
Read more on passports
This was because his passport was technically out of date, as it was issued more than 10 years ago.
Rules state that Brits travelling to EU countries must have passports that are no more than 10 years old on the day they arrive in their destination.
While the regulations aren't new - having been in place since the UK left the EU - thousands of holidaymakers still face being caught out.
He told the that while he had nine months left on his passport and knew he needed "more than three months", he was left baffled after being turned away from his flight.
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He said: "When I got to the gate, the woman said 'You can't travel on this passport'.
"At the end of the day, the European rules had changed and I was not allowed to travel.
"I was livid almost with myself, but then I thought 'What more could I have done?'."
He said they lost "everything" including flights, car parking and even their opera tickets, which were the main reason for their trip.
While he managed to get the money back for their hotel, he said they were left around £3,000 out of pocket.
Passport warning as Brits banned from boarding flights due to confusing rules
They are just one example of the many Brits who have been caught out by the rules.
As many as 32million applied for passports before the new regulations in 2018.
And new figures have revealed as many as 100,000 holidaymakers could even be affected by the confusing rules this summer.
Last year, dad Peter Holt was also left £3k out of pocket and even had to drive 1,000 miles across Europe to join his family when his passport was out of date.
What do I need to know about my passport?
The Sun's Travel Editor Lisa Minot has explained exactly what Brits need to know about their passports this summer:
"Travellers used to be able to roll over up to nine unused months from their old passport onto a new one.
"But post-Brexit, anyone wanting to travel to the EU can no longer rely on those extra months.
"In order to travel to the EU, all passports must be no more than 10 years old on the day you arrive in your European destination.
"And you'll need at least three months on your passport on the day you head back to the UK."
He said: "I am glad to have made it, but the situation was just so unnecessary."
Kirsty Hawes also missed her £1,050 all-inclusive holiday to Majorca for the same reason - with her passport being one day too old.
And celeb Vicky Pattison was recently caught out by other passport rules, and was banned from her flight to Italy.
The TV star was flying to the European destination for wedding planning.
But the airline said her passport was too damaged after her dog had chewed it.
She said on social media: "All the wasted money, how hard it was for me to get the time off, how excited we were, how I've wasted everyone's time.. I'm just really sad I think."
READ MORE SUN STORIES
These are two holiday destinations that have some of the strictest passport rules.
And nearly a million Brits are overpaying for their passports every year - here's how to avoid the extra charge.
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