Prepared for your next trip? You might want to check again.
While you might think you have everything ready for your upcoming journey, there are many easy-to-forget aspects of travel. For example, do you have the right power adapters or phone chargers for where you’re going? Does your destination require a visa? Have you actually booked a hotel?
Many of these problems are expected. However, some can surprise you—and if you’re not careful, your travels can come to a premature end.
One man learned this the hard way after he attempted to go to Canada. The problem? His passport.
What’s Wrong With This Man’s Passport?
In a video posted to both Facebook and Instagram, musician Jarrod Morris records a recent interaction he had with an American Airlines worker. The worker is manipulating his passport.
“So because it’s mutilated, we can’t let you travel to Canada like this,” the worker starts. “Canada doesn’t play. You’ll get a fine for this.”
While Morris appears to question the worker, he shows that the book is, in fact, in a sorry state. The pages are worn, and the cover is peeling significantly.
“You have to get a new passport,” the worker states.
This appears to bother Morris.
“What do you mean mutilated? That seems like a pretty extreme word,” Morris counters.
“What would you say, what this is?” the worker responds. “Give me another word. I can say another word if another word makes you feel better.”
In a comment on his Facebook page, Morris insists he has no ill will toward the worker.
“Thought this was funny. Nobody be weird towards this guy or American Airlines. 1st world problems,” he wrote, noting that he and the worker “stood in silence for a solid 30 count at the end of the convo.”
What Is A ‘Mutilated’ Passport?
While Morris and some in the comments section may think that “mutilated” is an extreme description, there may be a reason that the worker used such language.
On several U.S. government pages, the term “mutilated” is used to describe a passport that has damages beyond normal wear-and-tear. Examples of such damages include water damage, missing visa pages, or a significant tear.
Given that Morris’ passport was peeling apart, it would likely meet the standard of “mutilated.”
Under these circumstances, the U.S. government states that one must get a new passport.
Whether one will be able to travel with a damaged passport in the meantime is uncertain. While some airline workers and passport control officers will let a damaged passport slide, others will not. Consequently, it’s advised that one renew their passport if damages exceed normal wear and tear.
Commenters Support The Worker
In the comments section, many users maintained Morris’ sense of humor about the situation while noting that the worker was correct to assert that the passport was invalid for travel.
“The agent isn’t wrong. There are specific guidelines for pass ports,” wrote a user. “Go and schedule that renewal appt cowboy lol.”
“If you got stuck at the border, in either direction (going over or coming back), it would be ‘why didn’t anybody tell me before I got up here?’” noted another. “He’s looking out for your best interests.”
“True story. A good friend was denied entry into Dubai because of a smudge on her passport. So yeah they’ll deny entry due to damage to passport,” noted a third.
BroBible reached out to American Airlines and Morris via email.