An ‘administrative error’ caused a British tourist to be stranded after being kicked off a plane in Mexico.
Amanda was told the next flight wouldn’t be for two days
A woman was stripped of a £600 flight, and a simple administrative error ruined her journey home and left her stranded. Amanda Vicente’s backpacking trip of a lifetime ended in chaos when she was kicked off the plane and missed her seat.
The 24-year-old travelled around Latin America for six months, visiting 10 different countries. Her final two weeks were spent in Mexico, where she had to fly from Mexico City to Monterrey, then to Miami before flying back to London.
The first leg of her journey went smoothly, but as soon as she boarded her Viva flight to Miami, trouble began. After taking their seats and waiting for take-off, Amanda suddenly hears her name on the tannoy.
Shortly afterwards, an airport employee wearing a high-vis jacket approached him and asked to check his passport. Then the staff realised that he did not have an exit ticket.
Amanda got stuck in Mexico, then stuck in Texas (Jam Press)
“When I heard my name come through the announcer, I was confused; I’ve never had that happen before,” Amanda said. “When getting off the plane, I was more concerned about what this meant for my next flight. After travelling for six months and using the last of my funds to pay for the flight, I really couldn’t miss it.”
The embarrassed Briton was removed from the plane and escorted back through the boarding gate. Although Amanda managed to recover the missing stamp within 15 minutes, it was too late. Her original £300 flight had already gone, with the next flight to Miami not leaving for another two days.
Airline staff helped her book a £300 flight to Texas but then left her to travel the rest of her journey alone. With no flights to the UK for the next two days, Amanda was stuck at the airport for 24 hours.
His mother stepped in to help him find a place to stay, booking a cheap hostel for the night, but it turned out to be dirty, full of broken bedding. Thankfully, an accidental social media post changed everything.
Amanda Vicente (Jam Press)
After sharing her ordeal online, a friend she met in Colombia months earlier, Amanda, who now lives in Texas, came to her defence. Amanda said, “My mum called and then helped me find a place to stay for the night. It was a cheap hostel I found on Airbnb, but it was full of men, dirty and had broken beds.
“I posted a story on social media saying I was in Texas, and a friend I met in Colombia a few months ago told me she lived there. I went back to the airport; she picked me up and showed me the city.
“We went to a baseball game; he let me stay at his house and then drove me to the airport the next day. When I got to Texas I was initially angry, but after seeing my friend Jess, it became a lot better.
“It was a nice little introduction to America, and everyone was very friendly and helpful.”
