The couple, who own a business and a property in Mallorca and whose son attends to institute in Soller, their daughter is at university in Barcelona, had booked a long weekend away to escape the heat.
The initial flights, booked with the airline on line, which accepted their resident discount, originally cost 140 euros return for the two.
This afternoon they were charged 450 euros more taking the total to nearly 600 euros.
They spoke to the Guardia Civil and the National Police at the airport but there was little they could do.
And, having booked hotels etc. they decided to lodge an official complaint at the airport with the airline, pay the extra and take the matter up with the relevant authorities on their return.
They said it was an “absolute outrage.”
“It appears the problem at check-in is that it says ‘temporal’ on our TIE cards, but the card is still valid for five years plus we have our certificates from the local council, which is surely a binding document,” they told the Bulletin from the Palma airport.
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CONFIRMED INFO: Ok I have some news. It seems the answer is indeed about the writing on the back! I travelled from Mallorca to Ibiza with Balearia again and as usual the employee looked at my card which says ‘temporal’ and said I cannot get the discount. She turned it over and just as quickly said “oh yes you can get the discount.” I asked her why do the staff always say no then yes to me? She said it is about the writing on the back that states ‘EMITIDO BAJO ART.18.4 ACUERDO RETIRADA’. Which translates to ‘ISSUED UNDER ART.18.4 WITHDRAWAL AGREEMENT’. She said the government has agreed to let UK people who were resident before Brexit retain the right to the resident discount. So even if it says temporal, your card should state this on the back if you were a resident before Brexit. Interestingly, right under where it says ‘Temporal…’ on the front it also says ‘Artículo 50 Tue’, but that didn’t seem to make a difference. It was only when she saw the writing on the back that she accepted it. Could this mean some people have cards that read ‘Artículo…’ on the front but do not have ‘Emitido…’ on the back? I hope this helps make things a little clearer.
DréYes it is the SARA system (link below). For those who took up residency before 2020 and are eligible, just remember to match the TIE name details when booking so the issued travel document (ticket) matches the identity document (TIE). I now believe Balearia declined me because although eligible I had only booked with one first name instead of both (as appears on my TIE) so the system (SARA) failed to authorise me. A supervisor did go away and check something but came back insisting I was not eligible. The SARA web pages have a contact email address and I asked them to check. They found the rejected requests (after a 3 week wait), but didn't tell me why they were rejected. I had to work that out and try another booking with my booking first name as my UK two forenames. This got authorised. I believe I read somewhere the travel companies are now supposed to rely exclusively on this system even though their websites continue to say you can use the ayuntamiento travel certificate.
I will offer up what I know. This has been a big query for me because the I have travelled to Ibiza via ferry a few times and twice they have tried to say I cannot get the discount, then realised I can. I was living in Mallorca before the end of 2020 so was entitled to stay under the withdrawal agreement. My card says temporal (first 5 years) and that is what has caused the issue. I believe prior to Brexit, any card that read temporal meant people were not entitled to this travel discount. But like a couple of people have pointed out, my card does refer to article 18.4 on the back. I also know I am in the system that confirms the ability to travel with discount. Is this what some are calling the SARA system? My local travel agent checked and confirmed I can get this discount. They even gave me a printout of the paperwork. This is supposed to be the evidence that proves I can travel but still the people at Balearia insisted I could not travel with the discount despite seeing this. I said to the lady helping that I am in the system. At first she still said I could not get the discount then when she checked the system she saw I was in there. She went off and spoke to someone, came back and said yes I can get the discount. A similar situation happened again, the lady went away, came back and said I can get the discount. However their uncertainty has left me anxious to book a ferry or flight in case I end up in a situation like this couple mentioned above. But I now feel more secure knowing I may just need to notify them that my card says temporal but also states article 18.4 on the back. I just wish somebody would inform the staff that need to know.
Please correct me if I am wrong, but Air Europa are entirely in the wrong, because.. Under the terms of the Brexit withdrawal agreement, a TIE card confers on the holder the same rights in Spain as an EU national and providing that they furnish a certificate from the town hall, they are eligible for the residents discount. Of course, the TIE holder has to be a British citizen who was was resident before 12/2020.
Stephen GThis matches my very limited experience. I only encountered a problem when I mistakenly provided only one first name for the online booking of flight out ferry back. My TIE has both of my forenames as my ‘first name’. So SARA rejected me and I was told to present documents. Ryanair accepted the Ayuntamiento travel certificate. Balearia asked for my residence card and rejected it as ‘temporary’ and British citizens ‘no longer part of EU’. I now know how to fill in the booking forms as if my two forenames were a single forename and SARA confirms I am eligible for the discount.
Ulla JacksonI don’t want to seem argumentative, but that is sort of the point. It wouldn’t happen to a French or German traveller because those are EU citizens. A British citizen taking up residence now would not be entitled to the discount until residence becomes permanent (after 5 years). But those who took up residence before transition ended are supposed to have preserved rights and protections of EU citizens. A TIE with the article 18.4 wording is supposed to indicate that ‘EU rights preserved’ status, but too few people who should know that seem to be aware of the two distinct statuses a British resident may have and how to tell the difference from the residence card. At least, that’s my understanding of the crux of the argument. Separately there is the legal technicality that the name on the travel document needs to match the name in SARA exactly, otherwise you have an invalid travel document for the purpose of the discount. That technicality would apply to a French or German traveller, but they would have no problem presenting a travel certificate from the ayuntamiento with a temporary residence because the discount is approved for EU citizens. Again this is my understanding after some errors and research on my part. Not a legal opinion.
I can only speak from experience. My TIE card states 'temporal' (I have been registered just under 5 years) and states 'articulo 50' ie rights under the withdrawal agreement. I have had no problems with residents discounts etc when booking online and have not had to provide a travel certificate as my status has been checked by the airline/ferry company electronically.
tranq tranquerFWIW I believe there is a difference in your rights depending on whether you have a TIE ‘temporal’ WITH the words ‘emitido bajo artículo 18.4 acuerdo retirada’ in the comments on the back of the card OR a TIE without those words on the back.
This applies to all, not just British, as it's headlines always implying. Had it been a French or a German or anyone else, of course it would not be reported in MDB. This feel sorry for us seems to be a common theme here, unfortunately
Stephen GI don’t think all your TIE cards will be marked ‘temporal’ although I stand to be corrected. My understanding is that if you had lived in Spain for less than 5 years you would be given a TIE ‘temporal’ valid for 5 years. But if you had resided in Spain for 5 years or more or already had a ‘permanent’ green EU certificate you would be given a TIE ‘permanente’ which would then have to be renewed every 10 years. Upon expiry of the TIE ‘temporal’ you can then apply for a TIE ‘permanente’. What I’m not certain about is whether the time you had already lived in Spain would be discounted from those first 5 years when calculating the expiry date of the temporary TIE.