Barred from Jet2 Portugal flight – just for being 16

SHE’S old enough to get married, join the army and ride a motorbike but it seems 16-year-old Eilidh Strathie isn’t mature enough to board a passenger jet by herself.

The outraged teenager was left stranded after she was barred from getting on a flight to Portugal seemingly because of the Madeleine McCann case.

Eilidh was due to fly with Jet2 from Edinburgh to Faro last Tuesday to spend a week with her friend and her friend’s grandparents in a villa near Albufiera.

It was to be her first experience of flying alone, but at the very last minute Jet2 staff told her she would not be allowed to board the plane “because of the Madeleine McCann case”.

Eilidh said: “My mum and dad took me to the airport and waited until I was through security.

“I went to the gate when boarding was called, but when I got to the desk the woman took me out of the queue and said I could not fly as I didn’t have a letter giving my parents’ consent and saying who was picking me up at the other end.

“It was really embarrassing.”

Eilidh’s mum, Corinna Strathie, was shocked when she got a call just 25 minutes before Eilidh’s flight was due to leave.

Corinna, 42, said: “We’d left the airport by that time to go to work, and the Jet2 staff told us Eilidh would only be allowed to board if we quickly emailed our consent and the details of who she would be staying with.

“We tried desperately to send it, but the phone reception wasn’t good and the emails simply wouldn’t go through. It was heartbreaking and so frustrating.”

The minutes ticked agonisingly by, but finally Corinna had to give up when airline staff called to say the plane had to take off without Eilidh, who had been sitting in a car by the jet.

The couple had no choice but to drive back to the airport to pick up their disappointed daughter.

Corinna added: “The staff, who were kind and helpful, explained that the reason Portugal is so strict is that the authorities there were criticised after the Madeleine McCann case.

“But this seems like a real overreaction to that.

“It didn’t even cross my mind that you wouldn’t be able to fly alone at that age. You can get married and leave home, but you need a letter from your mum and dad to fly to Portugal.

“I was so angry. At no point when I was booking the flight online did it flag up that people need written consent to travel to Portugal at that age.

“I was told that the information was included in the FAQ section, but when I checked later it was not clear at all that you are considered a minor at 16.”

In the Jet2 FAQs it states: “Jet2.com allows persons aged 14 or over to travel alone. Any person under the age of 14 can only travel if accompanied by a person aged 16 years or over who will take full responsibility for them.

“Special conditions apply to some countries.”

But in the section on Portugal’s ‘special conditions’ it says: “All minors entering or leaving Portugal must be in possession of a letter of parental consent if travelling with adults other than their parents or legal guardians.”

However, Corinna points out that even if someone does read these FAQs it’s not clear at all that a 16-year-old, who can be responsible for someone under 14, is deemed a minor in the case of travel to Portugal.

Jet2 refused to transfer Eilidh, from Lundin Links in Fife, to another flight so the couple had no choice but to buy a Ryanair flight to Faro the following morning, costing them £225.

A Jet2.com spokesperson said: “We’re sorry Eilidh and her family had such a frustrating experience.

“Jet2.com follows the clear advice set out by the Portuguese authorities, which can also be seen on the Foreign Office travel advice website.

“We have to ask for the letter of consent and details of who is meeting someone of this age as it is possible the Portuguese passport control may deny them entry into the country without such documents. In that case the airline can also be subject to a large fine.

“However, we acknowledge our FAQs could have been clearer and will be taking steps to change them. We would also like to offer the family a refund of the cost of the flight Eilidh missed as a goodwill gesture.”

A spokesman for the British Air Travel Association said: “We encourage parents of minors who will be travelling unaccompanied to check with their airline before travel.

“Travel advice is also available on the Foreign Office website.”

Madeleine case ‘sparked stricter rules’