French court finds easyJet wrong in refusing to board passenger with expired passport
The passenger’s passport had expired 18 days prior to the flight
The passenger was due to fly from Lyon to Naples via easyJet
MC MEDIASTUDIO/Shutterstock.
EasyJet has been found guilty of refusing to allow a minor to board a plane with a passport that had recently expired.
The incident took place some eight years ago in 2018 when a man, Mr ‘BC’, his wife and young daughter had flights from Lyon to Naples booked. When about to board, easyJet pointed out that the daughter’s passport had expired and refused to board her.
The family travelled instead by coach, later requesting that easyJet reimburse the cost of the plane tickets and pay also for the coach tickets and a night’s hotel fees. The claim was on the basis that the 1957 European Agreement on the Movement of Persons between Member States allows a person travelling between member countries to travel with a current passport or one which has expired within the last five years.
EasyJet refused to issue a refund and thus Mr BC took the case to court in Lyon claiming payment of the previous sums plus an additional €2,000 in non-pecuniary (intangible) damages.
On January 24, 2022 the court dismissed his case as he had not provided proof of his expenses.
Mr BC then appealed to the Cour de Cassation which followed established case law from 2020 on the same issue - also relating to easyJet - and ruled in his favour. The Lyon court was asked to reopen the case.
On February 26, 2026 the Lyon court found easyJet was wrong not to board Mr BC’s daughter.
EasyJet had referred to the 2004 EU directive which states that a passport must be valid in order to travel however the 1957 agreement was deemed to take precedence.
Mr BC was awarded a total of nearly €5,000; €871.70 for the flight tickets, transportation and the hotel, €2,000 for non-pecuniary damages and €2,000 in costs.
