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Holidaymaker stranded after passport mix-up



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Published Date: 24 July 2008
A SHEFFIELD holidaymaker is stranded in Turkey after hotel staff gave her passport to another woman by mistake.
Kirstie Alice Willett, aged 20, of Dudley Road, Hillsborough, is in Altinkum but does not yet know how she will get home after another guest at the hotel was given her passport and flew back to Britain without being challenged.

The incident is now being investigated by the UK Border Agency to establish how a passenger could travel home with a stranger's document.

Kirstie is on holiday with her friend and they are looking for temporary work but until her passport arrives back in Turkey she cannot leave the country.

The former waitress and home carer said she is lucky she still has a few weeks left in the country.

She told The Star: "We are here for a few more weeks so I am lucky, it's a good job I don't need to get home tomorrow.

"The first I knew of this was when the woman who had my passport rang the hotel to tell me - I was shocked.

Speaking from her room at the Avsar Hotel she said: "I don't think it's right that someone can travel on my passport. I'm livid that this has been allowed to happen."

Her father Michael Willett, 52, said: "She is shocked and angry that the hotel gave her passport to somebody else - luckily she had met the woman they gave it to so she isn't worried, but it could easily have got into the wrong hands.

"She is fortunate that she doesn't need to get home straight away - she is planning on staying out there for a few weeks to look for work.

"Apparently the person who has the passport is going to send it back through the post - I just hope it gets to her or she really could have problems.

"It is terrible that in this day and age somebody was allowed to use a total stranger's passport."

Hazel Ellaby, 29, who was given Kirstie's passport, only realised the mistake when she arrived at her home in Ashton under Lyne in Greater Manchester after having the passport checked at four different points at both Bodrum and Manchester airports.

Staff at Bodrum Airport failed to realise Hazel was carrying Kirstie's passport when she checked in and was issued with a boarding pass in her own name.

The contradictory documents were then checked by Turkish passport control and scanned by staff at the boarding gate where she was waved through and allowed to board her XL Airlines flight.

After the plane touched down at Manchester Hazel also passed through Immigration Control without any problems.

Today the mum-of-one said: "Airport security is a massive issue, but no one even noticed I had the wrong passport.

"I haven't been able to sleep. I keep thinking what could have happened if I'd been stopped in Turkey after going through with the wrong passport.

"I could have been locked up in a Turkish jail.

"It's nice to be mistaken for a 20-year-old, but I do think this raises serious concerns."

A spokesman for XL Airlines said the firm would contact Bodrum airport to raise concerns about the ground staff's level of scrutiny, but said responsibility lay with the airport and immigration control.

A spokesman for the UK Border Agency said: "Inquiries are underway to establish what happened.

"We will speak to the airline to determine how the individual managed to board the plane and leave Turkey. We will also speak to the officers on duty in Manchester to establish the circumstances of her arrival."

What do you think? Add your comment below.

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The full article contains 658 words and appears in Sheffield Star newspaper.
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  • Last Updated: 24 July 2008 9:05 AM
  • Source: Sheffield Star
  • Location: Sheffield
 
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Lewis Skinner,

24/07/2008 11:29:19
How many people looked at the photograph and the woman carrying the passport, and let her go past regardless? Not only can this Government not keep our personal details secure, but it can't even employ a monkey to recognise a person from a photo who is standing in front of them, and yet wants to introduce ID cards? Not in my lifetime!
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amy@irwin,

24/07/2008 16:02:40
And they wonder why people get into the country on false identities!

It may not be the most exciting job in the world but its a serious one, i think airports needs to tighten up on their staff!!
3

A.Viewer ,

Manchester 24/07/2008 19:03:03
This has been a story for the last 24 hours on our side of the Pennines...Please inform Miss Willett that M.E.N. (local newspaper) and Channel M,a TV channel (an affilate TV show) have uploaded an interview with H.Ellaby onto the internet...during which,all of her passport details have been exposed..I do this in order to ensure Miss Willett is not a victim of Identity fraud in this Country,or elsewhere.If you need further proof,please feel free (so long as its the Real Passport Owner).
4

A.Viewer ,

Manchester 24/07/2008 22:08:00
As at 2210hrs 24/07/08,my most recent viewing....the video details of the passport have now been pixelated..thankfully.
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