Spanish funeral cancelled after UK passport mishap

A funeral service in Spain has been postponed after a man was denied permission to fly from the UK with his aunt's ashes because of passport rules.

Keith Rudd from St Albans was turned away by an airline at Luton Airport after staff informed him he could not enter Europe with his documentation.

Following Brexit, EU countries will not accept passports issued more than 10 years ago and although Mr Rudd's documents were not due to expire until September 2024 they had first been issued to him in March 2014.

The 67-year-old said: "I was annoyed that I had a passport that stated I had five months left on it but I couldn't fly. I couldn't see why this was happening."

Mr Rudd's aunt, Lilian Lumsden, had lived in Menorca for 40 years before she died in January, having lived in a care home in Carlisle for the last four years.

Her nephew wanted to return her ashes to the Spanish island and was due to hold a service next week,

He recalled he went into "overdrive" once he was denied the flight.

Mr Rudd said: "I had to notify the funeral arrangers that I would not be there on Monday, I then had to notify my hotel, I had to notify the car hire company and then I had to notify the mourners that were going to attend from both countries."

He admitted staff at the airport were "respectful and apologetic" but said more should be done to notify people who need to renew their passports and questioned the booking process.

"Why when you're booking the ticket online do you have to put in your passport details? It should notify you then if you cannot travel," he said.

The funeral will be rearranged as soon as Mr Rudd can obtain a new passport which he is hoping will be within the next week.

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