A British finance boss is stranded at a Nairobi hotel after she was stopped from travelling back to her home in London, UK by British Airways officials based at JKIA who declared her ID documents invalid.
Angela Enzo, Vice President Keel Harbour Capital, who travelled to Kenya for a work trip using her Italian passport was set to fly back on Saturday, January 2 when she was caught up in the blow back.
According to her, the British officials argued that she did not have the right papers to fly to the UK. The scenario appears to be a post-Brexit confusion.
Although Enzo had been cleared at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) immigration office, she was stopped from boarding the plane.
The British finance boss told the Sun newspaper,
"I am stranded in a Nairobi hotel. It’s pretty crazy. It was ridiculous and unlawful. I was checked-in and about to board the plane. I can’t make sense of what is going on."
“Four British Airways officials told me I had no right to fly to the UK, and to my home. They were talking about Europeans not being welcome because of Brexit. I couldn’t believe my ears. My life is in London," she added.
Enzo also stated that the British Airways staff and airport officials from the British High Commission seemed to blame each other and called for clarity on post-Brexit laws.
"We provide guidance to airlines and we will strive to ensure smooth travel now that we have taken back control of our borders," British officials stated as they admitted to making an error by preventing her from travelling to Heathrow airport.
The UK officially left the EU on January 31, 2020 after voting to leave it in 2016.
The EU Settlement Scheme was unveiled by the UK's Home Office to secure the rights of EU citizens living in the UK post-Brexit.
EU citizens can still travel to the UK without a visa as long as they show a valid passport or national ID card.
The grace period ends in June 2021 as they would be required to have registered with the scheme.
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