A Jersey family had their three-week holiday to Vietnam canceled and lost £5,000 after China Eastern Airlines staff reportedly did not recognize their British passports, which were issued by the Bailiwick of Jersey. Iwona Izbinska-Sosnowska, her husband Andrzej, and their 19-year-old daughter Ava were denied boarding at London Gatwick airport.

The planned trip to Hanoi and Hạ Long Bay was intended as a celebration for Iwona, who had recently survived cancer. "We have dreamed about this opportunity for 15 years because of the history, the culture, and we have never been to Asia," Iwona told ITV News. "Adding China as a transit country was something special to us as well."

According to Izbinska-Sosnowska, airline staff told them their system indicated "no country like that" when presented with their Jersey-issued British passports. Her husband, who holds a Polish passport, was not affected. "We tried to explain we are from Jersey in the Channel Islands, a Crown Dependency, and we are British citizens," she stated, adding that other British citizens were allowed to board without issue.

After attempting to resolve the issue for two hours, the family was unable to board the flight. They were subsequently denied compensation from their travel insurance provider, who reportedly advised them to sue the airline. "I feel I've been betrayed, I don't know by whom, by the airline, the system, it was so unfair," Izbinska-Sosnowska said.

A spokesperson for Jersey's External Relations Ministry acknowledged the incident, stating they are working to prevent a recurrence. They confirmed that Chinese authorities recognize British citizens with Jersey-issued passports as eligible for visa-free travel to China under the same conditions as those with UK-issued passports.

This incident follows a pattern of border confusion for Jersey residents. Earlier this year, the island requested assistance from the UK Home Office after residents were wrongly denied boarding flights to Jersey due to misinterpretations of new border requirements, specifically the digital Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system. Jersey residents with British or Irish nationality traveling between Jersey, the UK, Guernsey, Isle of Man, and Ireland do not require an ETA, according to GOV.JE.

The Daily Mail has contacted China Eastern Airlines and the UK Foreign Office for comment. It is estimated that the family incurred losses of approximately £5,000 due to the canceled holiday.