Routine Morning Turns Into Ordeal at Gran Canaria Airport
2nd May 2025 dawned like any other day at Gran Canaria Airport, with the almost choreographed bustle of trolleys, suitcases, and voices criss-crossing like lines on an invisible map. Amid all this movement, a passenger approached the check-in desk for easyJet flight EZY6676 to Birmingham. Carrying his ticket and his valid Polish national identity card (DNI), along with pre-established legal residency in the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme, he was about to experience an episode that has now resulted in legal consequences for the airline.
An Immediate and Unjustified Refusal
According to his testimony, backed by documentary and video evidence, the ground staff member who attended to him prevented his access to the flight. She allegedly claimed he could not travel to the UK without a passport, stating further that no airline would accept his documents that day. The passenger held a valid Polish ID card and maintains that, at no point, did the employee agree to verify its validity or permit the intervention of a supervisor, acting with contempt and without offering a reasoned explanation.
His account – and footage recorded that same day – suggests the Menzies Aviation employee overseeing boarding looked at him with immediate distrust. Without reviewing his documentation, without checking it, without consulting a database or a supervisor, she informed him that the document was not valid for travel to the UK and that, in fact, “no airline would accept it that day.” The statement landed with the force of a customs stamp, but with none of its guarantees. The passenger insisted, asking her to verify the ID, to call a manager, to review the procedure. The refusal was as blunt as it was inexplicable. There would be no boarding. There would be no dialogue. There would be no technical review whatsoever.
Legal Right Ignored, Inconsistency Exposed
Despite the passenger’s legal right to use his DNI as an entry document to the UK thanks to his status under the EU Settlement Scheme (an exception valid until at least 31st December 2025), the employee – according to evidence and video recordings – refused to verify his situation or consult a supervisor. The refusal was categorical, with no review of documentation or reasoned explanation.
Hours later, and without having changed any documents, the same passenger was able to fly to the UK with another airline, without obstacles or questioning. This fact exposed a serious inconsistency in the application of immigration rules by the ground staff.
Formal Complaint Leads to Binding Ruling Against easyJet
The affected individual filed a formal complaint with the Government of the Canary Islands, and the case escalated to the UK’s ADR Aviation, the regulatory body for aviation disputes. On 6th November 2025, this entity issued a legally binding resolution: easyJet is responsible for what happened and must financially compensate the passenger, in addition to facing further sanctions.
For its part, Menzies Aviation has not responded to the complaint filed over six months ago, which could represent a breach of both consumer legislation and its own customer service commitments.
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