Ryanair refused boarding

fritzelly

A child (14 years old) travelling with her aunt (both have the same surname) to Spain has been refused boarding back to Ireland claiming the aunt needs written authorisation from the parents

But said they can travel tomorrow instead - they are currently sleeping in the airport tonight

Can anyone explain what the hell is going on? Checked the law and can't find anything requiring this for Spain and why would Ryanair let them fly tomorrow instead?

banie01

It's fairly standard that a letter of parental consent is needed for a child travelling with an adult.

https://www.irishimmigration.ie/at-the-border/travelling-with-children/

More detail on it here. Sorry that she's been caught up in this situation but hopefully she'll get off okay tmrw and enjoy the rest of her trip.

fritzelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120042529#Comment_120042529

This wasn't customs that stopped them but Ryanair but then they said they can get the 6am flight back in the morning instead isn't that a bit sus?

mondeoman72

This happened to my friend in Tenerife. Auntie was bringing the children back to Dublin to spend the summer with granny. No letter of authorisation from the parents so the police check stopped them travelling.

Funnily enough, the mother arrived back at the airport and asked where they were and the police said they did not know. The mother in fluent spanish ran amok. It was not ok for the children to travel - but you let them walk out of here?

Ryanair made them buy new flights.

Nothing you can do I am afraid.

banie01

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120042549#Comment_120042549

The airlines routinely check for letter of consent when boarding. It's a very normal part of travelling with a child. Can be subject to a check by the airline or by immigration officials on crossing the border.

fritzelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120042569#Comment_120042569

What I'm confused about is why then let them fly on the next flight? Should never have let them fly out to start with if that is the case

twowheelsonly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120042578#Comment_120042578

I presume that they're expecting them to produce a letter / authorisation tomorrow ? That's the only thing that would make sense to me.

banie01

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120042578#Comment_120042578

That is odd alright, particularly if the flight tmrw is without any letter being received in the interim. I can only assume that Ryanair are expecting said letter to be produced tmrw?

fritzelly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120042583#Comment_120042583

No letter requested, the mother has sent a photo of her passport and a letter (to be on the safe side) - strangely they said this was a new requirement that only came in on Monday

cson

A letter of consent? In this day & age?

Like would a post-it note do it?

Could they have actually wrote it up themselves in the jacks and come back?

Absolutely asinine stuff.

Get the aul wan/lad on the blower or email if you fancy it and you've done your duty then as carrier.

markpb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120042808#Comment_120042808

Ink signatures carry legal weight.

I would imagine the time delay is to allow police to do a background check against any children reported missing or in danger.

whippet

100% normal .. my brother travels quite a bit with his two kids without their mother and he always will have the letter with him and is always asked for it. Last year he had to travel urgently back home as our mam had died and he was bringing the children .. forgot about the letter and was stopped leaving the country. They couldn't get hold of the mother on the phone initially .. but did a back ground check on my brother's national ID and asked a few questions from the kids. They were fairly satisfied but wouldn't let them travel until they spoke with the mother and verified who she was

cson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120042929#Comment_120042929

But... you could just fake it.

thegetawaycar

I think it's common enough, had the same going to Spain 2 years ago bringing a cousin. Had to get the parents to drop a letter to me in the airport, was an absolute nightmare at the time.

Dial Hard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120043183#Comment_120043183

This issue comes up all the time and I always come back to your point, what's stopping anyone just writing the letter themselves? Like, realistically there's absolutely no way for whoever is checking the letter to know that the parent actually wrote it. It's nonsense.

Locker10a

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120043206#Comment_120043206

It’s obviously enough for the airline to say they followed a procedure etc. when they’re quizzed on human trafficking cases, which do happen regularly

When my wife travels home with the kids I always do a letter. She's never been asked for it

OldRio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120043206#Comment_120043206

And you would be breaking the law by using a false signature.

Mongfinder General

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120042594#Comment_120042594

Could be that the flight is overbooked and they’re looking for an excuse to free up a few seats.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120043874#Comment_120043874

No, Ryanair don't overbook

Donald Trump

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120042558#Comment_120042558

Why would the police stop them leaving the airport?

The rules are to prevent children from being taken out of a jurisdiction without both parents permission. If they walk out of the airport, they are still within the jurisdiction of the local police and local judiciary. When they fly away, they aren't.

mondeoman72

In tenerife Sur, you check in, then at the gate there is a booth where the police are. They check passports there. That is where Susie was stopped. It was her sisters kids, I think they have a different surname as the father is spanish.

The letter of consent is there for good reason.

Rightly refused to board.

Parents fault for not knowing about this.

wirelessdude01

I travelled to/from Lanzarote in November with my toddler. Never asked for any letter but his surname is the same as mine so I think that changes things.

plodder

Reminds me back around 2000 I flew with my three kids to Dusseldorf, to visit their mother who was working there for a period. No letters required, and all three kids were just named on my passport. The immigration officer in DUS was a bit taken aback by the number of people traveling on one passport but it was allowed then. Different times.

Locker10a

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120043902#Comment_120043902

They do actually

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120045221#Comment_120045221

It was also an entirely different situation for heavens sake! As you pointed out they were named on your passport so of course they were entitled to travel with you.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120043004#Comment_120043004

Hang on - your brother is the father of the two kids and STILL has to produce a letter of parental consent? Both parents have to sign it - one is not good enough?

whippet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120045612#Comment_120045612

Yep ... he and his partner are not married, he is Irish living in another country.

it isn't unusual for a partner to try take the children out of the jurisdiction when a relationship breaks down ... so there needs to be safe guards in place to ensure children's safety

dark crystal

Aren't both parents consent covered when applying for a child's passport in the first place? Ye both have to be there in person at the Garda station, no?

(Applies for parents obviously, not extended family etc.)

SteM

The parental relationship could change after the passport is issued though.

plodder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120045522#Comment_120045522

Sure, it's not the same, but while they were named, there was no photo id. I could have left the country with any three random kids of roughly the right age and who were prepared to go. Just pointing out that the rules used to be much more lax.

jackboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120045675#Comment_120045675

What if one of them was dead? Would a death certificate be required to get the children on a plane. Seems bizarre.