A fitness coach who had hoped to board her flight to Bali for a luxurious getaway was stopped at the gate and warned she could be detained for, what she called, the “tiniest” issue.
Emma Doherty revealed she wouldn’t depart from Sydney, Australia for her “social detox” because the gate agents pointed out her water-damaged passport.
Doherty told viewers in the viral clip, which gained over 1.4 million views, the nightmare scenario forced her to be stranded at Sydney Airport.
“I didn’t even notice it. I travel all the time and it’s never been mentioned to me before,” Doherty said. “But apparently Bali Airport are really, really strict and they are known for putting people into a cell if they don’t like your passport.
“I literally just got told that if they’d let me into Bali, the military and the security in the airport would have put me into a cell,” the British content creator said
Throughout the video, Doherty pleads for anyone headed for a trip to Bali to be mindful of any damages inside their passports.
“Still can’t believe this happened. RIDICULOUS,” a frustrated Doherty says in another related clip.
The enraged fitness model’s trip never fell into plan after the unfortunate incident.
In 2019, Indonesian authorities enforced a new policy that fines passengers $7,000 if their passports are damaged, according to US Department of State.
Thousands of commenters shared their similar horror stories.
“This happened to me a few years ago! Exact same thing with the water damage too!!! I had to get a brand new passport in 24 hours lol,” one replier said.
“I had the same [experience], landed in Bali, had to wait in a cell until I could get a flight out,” another unlucky traveler shared.
“They are super strict! Lucky that you didn’t get let in tbh, because I’m sure it would have been even harder in Bali to be getting out, a commenter said.
A similar situation involving an Australian man turned out for the worst when he was arrested over a “tiny tear” in his passport on June 6, according to Daily Mail.
Matt Vandenberg planned a fun-filled vacation for his friend’s wedding in Bali, but nothing went as planned after an immigration officer flagged a 0.4 inch tear along the spine of his passport.
His passport was confiscated during his 12-hour wait at the airport and ultimately given an emergency passport to return to his home in Sydney.
