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Sam Kerr side steps passport woes for Bali trip

Caitlyn Rintoul and Nick TaylorThe West Australian
Perth soccer superstar Sam Kerr has made it to her Bali holiday following a public protest over her “damaged” passport being rejected by budget airline Jetstar on Wednesday.
Camera IconPerth soccer superstar Sam Kerr has made it to her Bali holiday following a public protest over her “damaged” passport being rejected by budget airline Jetstar on Wednesday. Credit: Sam Kerr/Twitter & Instagram

Perth soccer superstar Sam Kerr has made it to Bali following a public protest over her “damaged” passport being rejected by budget airline Jetstar on Wednesday.

Posted a poolside photo from her Balinese villa this morning, the former Matildas captain “is now enjoying a well deserved break” with friends.

“Mornings for the next week on my damaged passport,” she wrote on the post.

The former Matildas captain was due to fly out about 1.40pm on Wednesday but Jetstar claimed the poor condition of the travel document meant she couldn’t board her planned flight.

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“What a joke. Jetstar won’t let me travel due to a damaged passport,” she tweeted to her 58,000 followers.

The superstar claimed after the Jetstar check-in staff member rejected her passport that decision was confirmed by a senior staff member. Jetstar employee on the phone, refused her entry at Perth Airport.

A Jetstar spokesman said the decision was part of immigration requirements placed on the airline.

“Our crew don’t like being the bearer of bad news but they have to enforce the immigration requirements of the countries we fly to,” he said.

Sam boarded a flight with another airline who made no comment at all about her passport.

Kerr’s spokeswoman said the issue was eventually sorted out within a matter of hours after she booked with another airline.

“Jetstar refused to allow Sam to board a plane to Bali, telling her that her passport was damaged. They went on to tell Sam that the airline was merely saving her the inevitable embarrassment of being turned away by Indonesian immigration,” she said.

“A few hours later, Sam boarded a flight with another airline who made no comment at all about her passport, and she passed through both Australian and Indonesian immigration without incident.

“Sam is now enjoying a well deserved break with some friends in Bali.”

Perth soccer superstar Sam Kerr has made it to her Bali holiday following a public protest over her “damaged” passport being rejected by budget airline Jetstar on Wednesday.
Camera IconPerth soccer superstar Sam Kerr has made it to her Bali holiday following a public protest over her “damaged” passport being rejected by budget airline Jetstar on Wednesday. Credit: Sam Kerr/Instagram

In January, The West revealed Bali-bound travellers were being denied entry because of tougher requirements in Indonesia.

As reported by The West Australian previously, in November 2018 a British couple were denied entry to Bali because one passport was slightly chewed by their dog.

Another passenger told The West she and her partner were not able to board a Batik Air flight at Perth Airport on Christmas Day last year because his nine-year-old passport was “slightly damaged”.

Kerr’s spokeswoman said there was no damage to the chip or the photo, which is classified as “damaged or faulty” on the Australian Passport Office website.

The set back comes after the striker signed a $2 million-a-season-deal with English FA Women’s Super League giants Chelsea, making her one of the highest paid female soccer players in the world.

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