Pauline Briggs, 64, was on her way to Fuerteventura with her granddaughter, grandson-in-law and their two children when the security slip happened.
It wasn’t until she arrived at the destination that she was stopped at passport control and questioned about her husband.
Amazingly, she managed to pass through two security checks at East Midlands Airport with Paul’s passport without any questions being asked.
Pauline was left baffled when passport control at the other end asked where her husband was.
She told the Metro: “The question really threw me, I said ‘I’m Pauline Briggs’ but he said ‘but where is Mr Briggs’ and I said ‘well…he’s dead’”.
Up until that moment, Pauline herself had no idea she had mistakenly picked up her husband’s passport instead of her own.
She added: “I know it was my mistake to pick up the wrong passport but I was appalled at the lack of security.
“I would have expected that my error would mean I would have to go home and get another flight out, but because it was missed I got right through to Fuerteventura.
“I am an innocent holidaymaker but what if I had more sinister motives – It’s not very reassuring.”
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