Will post-Brexit passport rules jeopardise our Irish trip?

Q In May I and 15 other people are flying to Dublin to attend a wedding in County Kerry. We all have British passports and are flying from Newcastle. We have all read the advice the government have issued about any passports that have 15 months or less remaining should renew their passports if travelling to the European Union in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Would this apply for flying to Dublin after we leave the EU? It would be awful if some of us arrive with less then 15 months on our passports and are unable to fly.

Alison Q

A The government’s intention is that the UK will be out of the European Union from 30 March 2019, with or without a deal.

In the event of a no-deal Brexit, the most draconian rules in the world on passport validity will take effect. This arises because the UK’s gracious policy of giving travellers credit for unexpired time when renewing passports collides with the European Union rule that non-EU travel documents expire 10 years after their date of issue.

Fortunately, while the Republic of Ireland remains an EU member, arrangements for travel between the two countries will continue as normal. The common travel area, which applies to the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands, trumps the usual EU rules. It means that no passports are needed legally.

However, airlines are able if they wish to ask for passports. Ryanair insists all passengers carry them, saying: “Flights between the UK and Ireland require a passport.”

The airline claims the measure is for security purposes, saying: “Since 80 per cent of Ryanair passengers travel without checking-in a bag, the boarding gate is the first instance where Ryanair’s crew are afforded the opportunity to verify the identity of the passenger travelling and match the passenger to their passport, in the interests of security.”

Aer Lingus requires only a photo ID such as a bus pass, and nothing for under-16s, and a cynical traveller might suggest the Ryanair stipulation is for commercial purposes rather than security concerns.

Anyway, if you are flying on Ryanair rather than Aer Lingus, you all need to carry passports. But there is no requirement for any minimum validity.

Every day, our travel correspondent, Simon Calder, tackles a reader’s question. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder