Danielle Johnstone and her one-year-olf daughter Finley were left stranded at the airport after their seats were cancelled forcing them to pay out nearly £1600 for replacement flights.
A family’s World Cup trip was thrown into chaos after an booking blunder left a mum and her one-year-old daughter stranded at Edinburgh Airport forcing them to shell out hundreds of pounds on replacement flights.
Rosie McQuillan Irvine was due set to jet off to Florida on June 17 with her husband Stewart, son, daughter-in-law Danielle and grandchildren Forrest, five, and Finley, one, following the steps of many other Tartan Army supporters.
The family paid more than £6,500 for the trip to Orlando, which is centred around Scotland’s World Cup clash against Brazil in Miami on June 24.
However, when they arrived at Edinburgh Airport to board their 9.15am Aer Lingus flight to Orlando via Dublin, Danielle and Finley were told they could not travel because Finley had allegedly been booked as a child rather than an infant.
Finley, who does not turn two until June 29, should have been booked as an infant under airline rules, meaning she would have travelled on her mother’s lap. Airline staff advised the family that because the booking had been made incorrectly, Danielle and Finley would not be allowed to board.
Rosie, 59, from Dundee, told the Record: “It was just an absolute panic at the airport. Staff told us the only option was to cancel Danielle and Finley’s seats. We didn’t know what to do or if would even be possible to book another flight.
“I’d given all the correct details when we booked, explaining we only needed a seat for Finley when we were returning. The whole thing was just utter nonsense as the seats were there. Surely it’s just click of a button to change it.”
Unable to get through to anyone at holiday company On the Beach for assistance, the family decided they had no option but to pay £1,580 out of their own pocket for Danielle and Finley to travel on a later Virgin Atlantic flight, while the others rushed to catch the orginal booked flight.
“I told my husband and son just to get on the flight with our grandson as they’ve followed Scotland all over so we couldn’t let them down,” Rosie explained.
“I didn’t want Danielle to have travel solo as she’s never done it before but when we looked at new flights they were going to cost over £3000. It was just out of the question and we didn’t know if we’d get a refund so Danielle reluctantly said she would just go seperatley.
“She was left to fly on her own with a baby, two suitcases and a pram. While there was two empty seats on our plane! It just beggars belief.
“The kids were all upset when we were seperated. Forrest feared his mum and wee sister weren’t coming with us on holiday as he didn’t understand. It was really traumatic and stressful. Especially with no one to speak to for help.”
Rosie praised fellow Tartan Army supporters who rallied round to help Danielle as she travelled alone with a baby.
She said: “The Tartan Army were absolutely brilliant helping Danielle as she had her hands full. Everyone was quick to help her around the airport as she waited for her flight that afternoon and also as she travelled. We don’t know what she would have done without them.”
The family later discovered that because Danielle and Finley had been recorded as no-shows on their original booking, their return flights home on July 2 had also been cancelled, creating further stress.
“I spent the whole of our first day of the holiday on the phone sending emails but I’ve still never spoke to a human,” Rosie said.
However, she says On the Beach have now agreed to pay the costs.
She added: “They’ve rebooked the seats for the return flights too and are given us some compensation.”
Despite the ordeal, the family were relieved to eventually reunite in Orlando ahead of Scotland’s match against Brazil in Miami.
Rosie joked: “All I can say is Scotland better perform now after all the stress we’ve been through!”
An On the Beach spokesperson said they were investigating and had reimbursed the family while that investigation is taking place.
A spokesperson for On the Beach said, “We’re very sorry for the disruption Rosie and her family experienced at the start of their holiday.
“We’re investigating with the airline, the circumstances that led to boarding being refused – the booking was made using the ages provided and included a seat for the child.
“While those enquiries are ongoing, we’ve spoken to Rosie, reimbursed the cost of the alternative outbound flight, arranged replacement return flights and provided a goodwill cash gesture for the inconvenience caused.”
Aer Lingus has been contacted for comment.

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