AN elderly couple who lost out on a dream holiday and a cruise because the American authorities revoked their entry visas in error are fighting to find answers and get their money back.
John and Mary Green, both in their 70s, who live at Seacliff View in Onchan ended up being escorted away from Manchester Airport by armed police after the immigration authorities refused to allow them to board their flight to Florida.
John Green, aged 74, said they had taken holidays in America for the past 30 years without any problem.
‘But we were denied boarding and all we were told was our Estas (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) had been withdrawn. Check-in could give no reason,’ he said.
When they spoke to an official from the American Department of Home Land Security, (immigration) he said they were told because of a computer error they were still listed as being in the United States.
‘My wife and I said it was clear that we weren’t in America and we had our passports to prove who we were and asked him please to reinstate our visas and put us on the flight. He refused,’ Mr Green said.
The only option, they were told was to visit the American Embassy in London and get a ten-year visa.
He added: ‘If they have withdrawn a two-year Esta visa what chance would there be of them issuing a ten-year visa? He could not answer that question.’
Mr Green said despite repeated telephone calls made on their behalf to Washington the authorities refused to budge, despite admitting there had been a computer error on the part of the DHS in America.
‘I reminded him that we live on the Isle of Man which is a four-hour ferry journey and a six-hour drive to London to sort out something that was not our fault. I said we stood to lose the cost of our flight, meeting up with our daughter who had flown from New York to Florida to meet us, spend two weeks with us then put us on then drive us down to Miami for a cruise back to England, a dream holiday. We also stood to lose the cost of the cruise.
‘A few minutes later two armed policemen appeared and took us away followed five minutes later by two with machine guns.’
Since then, repeated emails, phone calls and letters have produced no solutuions.
‘We have had lots of non-replies but no word of kindenss, empathy or understanding. Something is clearly very sadly wrong and nobody cares,’ he said.