Couple’s Bali Getaway Sabotaged as Airport Staff Accidentally Tears Their Passport

YouTube@HAMZzIRY

The video starts with the couple, HAMZzIRY, dragging their huge travel suitcase into their house. It’s not the scene of returning from an overseas trip. The couple didn’t even get to board the plane. The couple, who had set off for Incheon Airport with high spirits, had to return home with their unopened luggage just a few hours later.

The YouTuber, who had checked in their luggage and received their boarding passes but couldn’t go to Bali, said calmly, “I ordered some tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) because I couldn’t bear it sober. I’ll explain why the trip was canceled while eating.”

South Korean passport stock photo. / Binimin-shutterstock.com

After taking a bite of tteokbokki, she revealed, “We couldn’t go to Bali because our passport (signature line) was torn. What’s more shocking is that it wasn’t us who tore the passport, but the airport staff. I can laugh about it now, but I was really out of my mind then.”

She continued, “I had just passed through passport control, planning to pick up duty-free items and have some wine at the lounge, but my husband wasn’t following. Since you can’t re-enter the airport, I was waiting around, and then I heard my husband shouting from afar, ‘Honey, my passport is torn.'”

Departure control at Incheon International Airport Terminal 2. / News1

The YouTuber said, “The supervisor of the staff member who tore the passport came and suggested we go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (passport office) in the airport to see if we could depart with a temporary passport. There, we were told that ‘Indonesia requires a visa on arrival, so you cannot enter with a temporary passport.'”

Even when they inquired with the airline, the answer was the same. When the couple asked the airline, “What should we do?” the airline responded unexpectedly, “Go on a trip to another country.”

The YouTuber complained, “How can we suddenly change our destination? We’ve made numerous hotel reservations, air tickets, and small things for two weeks… It doesn’t make sense to lose over 5 million won ($4,400) in hotel fees and go to another country. The air ticket change fee is also 2.05 million won ($1,800).”

Although they could depart from Korea, the airline warned the couple that they could be forcibly deported from the local airport in Indonesia. The couple had to remove their previously checked-in luggage from the plane with tears in their eyes.

YouTube@HAMZzIRY

In the video, the YouTuber said, “I won’t say how the passport was torn in case the staff member gets in trouble. It wasn’t done on purpose. We both just had terrible luck.”

There was a touching point in the midst of all this. The supervisor of the staff member who tore the passport repeatedly apologized to the couple and promised to compensate them for all the damages.

The YouTuber said, “Seeing the supervisor trying to protect his subordinate who caused the accident and following us around trying to solve the problem made me think, ‘This is a real adult.'”

She added, “On the way home, I thought it was fortunate that the passport was torn in Korea. If it had been torn at the immigration in Indonesia, it would have been the end. I wouldn’t have been able to say anything and would have had to return to Korea.” She showed her generous side.

She, who had to postpone the departure date by a week with a fee, said, “Life does not go as planned. It is a series of variables,” showing a calm attitude.

Netizens who saw the video, which has recorded 690,000 views, did not spare their praise and comfort for the couple.

“Mature couple and professional airport supervisor,” “How many people could handle this situation so coolly and wonderfully?” “I learned for the first time how important a passport is,” “I would have cried and made a scene,” “I respect their mental strength,” “If it were me, I would have had a mental breakdown, and my brain would have stopped for two hours,” and other praises were poured out.