Sean and his girlfriend were ready to board their flight to Bali… but Virgin Australia stopped them at the gates over a ‘microscopic’ passport detail

A young couple’s tropical getaway was nearly ruined by a “microscopic” coffee stain on one of their passports.

Sean Ferres and his girlfriend Brooke were due to fly from the Gold Coast to Bali on Friday.

Virgin Australia staff stopped the couple and told them they could not board the plane because there was a coffee stain on Mr Ferres’ partner’s passport.

The staff claimed the document was “illegible” but said they would be given another flight at no extra cost once the issue was resolved.

Mr Ferres explained that his partner had travelled to more than 20 countries on the passport, including Indonesia, and the stain had not been a problem.

The couple were asked to contact customer service to change their flight.

However, Mr Ferres claimed that the operator then told him that the couple had been marked as no-shows on the scheduled flight to Bali and that they would therefore have to pay for an alternative flight.

Mr Ferres said he was forced to buy “crazy expensive” $3,000 Jetstar tickets to book a 5.50am flight on Saturday morning and save their holiday.

Mr Ferres explained that the stain had not previously been a problem and claimed that his partner had travelled to more than 20 countries, including Bali, on the passport.

Mr Ferres said in a Facebook post that Jetstar has no problem with the state of the passport, unlike Virgin.

“Funnily enough, Jetstar had no problem with the passport, nor did the 100+ other flights we have taken with it,” he wrote on Facebook.

‘Landed in Bali, all e-gates and direct transit without any problems.

‘I really don’t understand how 25 years after the invention of the internet – in an age where even a $500 phone has advanced facial recognition – we STILL have to rely on a flimsy piece of paper to leave the country.’

Reactions to the posts on social media were divided, with some not exactly sympathetic.

“If that’s ‘microscopic,’ then I have a 12-inch stain,” one person wrote of the coffee stain, which measured about two inches by one inch.

“If you have the money to fly TWICE to “over 20 countries including Bali” then you also have the money to replace your damaged passport,” added a second.

“When you’ve visited 20+ countries, can you ever stop and read passport rules, entry regulations and the risk of denied entry?” said a third.

‘Even if there is a fold in the passport, it can be declared damaged and invalid.’

After a two-hour delay, they were able to board the new flight without any problems from the staff or crew regarding the damaged passport.

Mr Ferres insisted that no one had ever asked to see the passport before and that he therefore had no idea that there was anything wrong with it.

“So we are going to completely ignore the fully functioning electronic chip inside and declare a passport invalid based on a small speck,” he asked.

“Why would we replace something that we didn’t know was ever a problem?”

Bali has strict passport regulations regarding travel documents with tears or water damage, as such items can be used to conceal fraud.

In 2019, a spokesperson for the Indonesian Consulate General in Sydney said that in general, a passport is considered damaged if the data cannot be read by the system.

He added that the final decision rests with immigration officials.

‘Criteria for a damaged passport include tears, ink stains and water damage. Therefore, it is a good idea to keep your passport in a safe place.’

Indonesian authorities can detain travelers and fine airlines more than $4,700 if they allow someone to fly with a damaged passport.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Virgin Australia for comment.

Passport damage and the law

Australian travellers should check that their passports (pictured) are in good condition

Normal wear and tear on your passport should not be a problem. More serious damage could prevent you from traveling.

If you are unsure whether your passport is in good condition, call the Australian Passport Office on 131 232 or contact your nearest Passport Office. Australian embassy or consulate overseas.

It is important that:

• there are no tears or cuts in the passport pages, especially the photo page
• everything on the photo page is legible and clear
• there are no markings on your photo or in the machine readable zone on the photo page
• no pages were deleted
• there is no question of change or manipulation

They may need to see your passport to assess it.

Source: Australian Government