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Chris Slater & Chloe Burrell

Dad outraged after children barred from Jet2 flight as 'they didn't have photo ID'

An outraged dad claims that his children were stopped from boarding a flight as they didn't have photo ID.

Shane Lloyd's teenage son and daughter were set to fly out for a week-long holiday with their dad in Jersey where he lives.

However, he states that his son Dylan, 13, and daughter Grace, 14, travelling with their auntie, were left in tears when they were told at the departure gate at Manchester Airport that they would not be able to board their Jet2 flight to Jersey as they didn't have their own photo ID, Manchester Evening News reports.

UK passengers travelling to Jersey do not need a passport, but adults are asked to travel with some form of photo ID.

The Jersey tourist board states that kids under the age of 16 are not required to show ID on domestic flights, and the adult they are travelling with can "vouch for the child's identity".

Jet2 have now apologised and have booked the children on new flights. However, dad Shane says his time with his children has been cut short and has still been left around £1,000 out of pocket due to the error.

"I couldn't believe it" he said. "I was furious. I was at Jersey Airport waiting for them then I got a call from my sister saying they wouldn't let them get on.

Shane says he and his kids are devastated as they had been looking forward to the trip for months (Family Handout)

"They've flown over, it must be 15 to 20 times now since I've been here, they've flown with easyJet, with Jet2, from Manchester, from Liverpool, and they've never needed ID.

"My daughter lived here with me for 18 months and she flew back six months ago on a Jet2 flight and didn't need photo ID.

"Every time I make their mum pack their birth certificates though just in case but this time they said even they weren't good enough. They had to come all the way back through security. They were both in tears.

"The worst part of it is their mum was meant to be going away herself but her holiday was cancelled as well the same day. If it hadn't of been they would just been left stranded there and I wouldn't have been able to get to them."

Shane says he will be left over £1,000 out of pocket (Family Handout)

The official website of Jersey's tourist board says: "Children under the age of 16 do not need to show ID on domestic flights. The adult they are travelling with can vouch for the infant/child’s identity."

The website does add: "Always check with your airline and ferry company before travelling to confirm the identification you’ll need to carry."

The children have passports, although one of them is out of date, Shane said, and they didn't bring them as they knew they weren't necessary.

Dylan and Grace, who had already passed through airport security when they were stopped, were travelling with Shane's sister, their auntie Leah, who did have photo ID on her and the children also had their birth certificates with them just in case, yet they were still denied boarding.

They have flown over a dozen times to Jersey on different airlines and have never been asked for photo ID, Shane said. And he said their plans have into turmoil on what is a momentous family occasion.

His girlfriend is pregnant and he was flying his children over in order that they could be part of a gender reveal party where they would find out if they were getting a new brother or sister.

Jersey's official tourism website states children on domestic flights do not need photo ID (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

He had booked a week at a campsite on the island for them but cancelled it when they weren't able to travel, with Shane losing out on hundreds of pounds, and he's now struggling to re-book any accommodation for the family due to the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Celebrations.

After Manchester Evening News contacted Jet2, Shane says the airline got in touch and admitted it was their error and offered to book the children on new flights today as well as refund the original tickets.

"I spoke to them yesterday and they were still saying I was in the wrong," he said.

"But last night I got a phone call from a lovely lady who admitted it was their mistake, that they should have been let on and said we were entitled to compensation.

Shane's kids were left stuck at Manchester Airport (Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News)

"They have also booked them on new flights today for free. I'm obviously pleased I'm going to get to see them now. But I'm still angry they left two children at the airport just because someone didn't know the rules.

"We've lost two days together now. I also cancelled the accommodation when I thought they weren't coming over. I've lost all my money on it that because it was less than 24 hours beforehand and I'm really struggling to find anywhere else now.

"We're ringing round but everywhere is booked up because of the Jubilee. It still leaves a bit of a sour taste to be honest."

A Jet2 spokesperson said: "We can confirm that we have been in touch with the customer and are pleased to say the matter has since been fully resolved.

"We would like to apologise to the family for any inconvenience caused.”

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