At WorkNomads, we believe the world is better when borders don’t define opportunities. But every now and then, reality reminds us that the ideal of freedom of movement still has a few bureaucratic potholes.
Take Mei’s recent trip through an EU Airport, for example. Mei, an Asian national and permanent resident of an EU country, has travelled across Europe for years with no issue. But on this day, the system seemed to press pause on logic.
When Your Residency Card Is Suddenly… Not a Card?
At check-in, border officials told Mei her permanent residency card was “not a travel document.” Fair enough – immigration law can be nuanced. But what followed was a scene that felt less like airport security and more like a Kafka novel.
No explanation, no help, no plan B – just three border officers, a quiet corner, and a lot of shrugging. Eventually, the responsibility was passed to the “low cost” carrier, who, perhaps channelling their inner bureaucrat, decided to deny boarding. Exit Mei, stage left. No travel, no guidance, no empathy.
Bureaucracy vs. Common Sense
Now, here’s the twist: Mei later booked with a “full service” carrier and flew without a hitch. No drama. No legal wall. Just a supervisor who understood the rules – and applied them with a touch of humanity.
So what happened? Was the law misunderstood, misapplied, or just miscommunicated? The answer isn’t clear – and that’s the real issue.
It’s Not Just a Mei Problem
When rules vary wildly between airlines or border guards, it creates a strange kind of travel roulette – especially for non-EU nationals. One moment, you’re welcome. The next, you’re politely (or not-so-politely) turned away. It’s less about intent, more about inconsistency.
We’re not pointing fingers – everyone is doing their job, we get it. But when “the rules” become a hot potato no one wants to hold, people fall through the cracks. And let’s be honest: the ones who fall are rarely the ones writing the rules.
No Villains, Just a System That Needs a Reboot
This story isn’t about bad guys in uniforms or rogue airlines. It’s about a fragmented system that occasionally forgets the humans it was built to serve. And if we don’t talk about it, it won’t get better.
What We Stand For
At WorkNomads, we imagine a future where your right to move, work, and contribute is defined by your talent, not by your passport. Where “remote” means a lifestyle.
Mei’s story is a reminder that we still have work to do. And we’ll keep doing it – one flight (and one rewrite of the rulebook) at a time.