Anthony Piovesan
We’ve all used the ‘my dog ate my homework’ excuse before.
But I don’t think this Brit ever thought he’d need to pull that old chestnut out in front of Spanish border authorities at Valencia airport as he pleaded with them to be allowed to board a flight back to the UK.
And what was even more absurd, it wasn’t an excuse.
His dog – a four-year-old Beagle called Simba – actually had mauled his passport right before he was due to fly back to London on Sunday, December 11.
His concerned mother Antonia Hyde posted an urgent plea for help online seeking advice.
“Help! My son is stuck at Valencia Airport. His dog ate his passport! He has his NIE but they won’t let him fly to Gatwick,” she explained.
Speaking exclusively to the Olive Press Nicholas Hyde described the entire situation as ‘surreal’.
“He just devoured it, the bottom corner of the passport with the identification number was devoured,” the 23-year-old said.
“As soon as I saw him mauling it I knew I wouldn’t be allowed to travel.”
Hyde was just having a quick snack before his flight that day at his parents’ home in Javea when he looked up from his pork and potatoes and noticed his dog had tucked into his passport.
At first Hyde – who needed to return to Oxford where he was interning at a biotechnology company – went to the police at the airport, but they could not help him.
Then, Hyde pleaded with the airline who contacted immigration at Gatwick airport with a photo of the mauled passport – but that was also to no avail.
His only option was to apply for an ‘emergency passport’ at the British consulate in Barcelona.
In just a few hours he had an appointment time confirmed, so he booked a train to the Catalonian capital, picked up the document on Tuesday and flew out to Gatwick that evening.
“You really just can’t make this up – surreal and ridiculous are the only words,” Hyde said.
He will be sure to keep his passport away from dogs before travelling in the future though as the emergency passport is only valid for one use.
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