Spanish couple accuses ChatGPT of spoiling their Puerto Rico dream trip with bad travel advice

chatgpt

For Spanish influencer Mery Caldass and her partner Alejandro Cid, a holiday to Puerto Rico was supposed to be the perfect escape. Instead, it ended before it even began, thanks to a piece of advice they trusted from ChatGPT.

Like many travellers, Mery turned to the internet for quick answers while planning her trip. To save time, she asked the AI chatbot whether Spanish citizens needed a visa to travel. The reply was short and reassuring: “No.” It sounded clear enough, so the couple never gave it a second thought.

What the chatbot didn’t explain was that “no visa” didn’t mean “no paperwork.” Spanish passport holders, like those from other countries in the US Visa Waiver Program, still need an online travel authorization called ESTA before they can board a flight.

Unaware of this, the couple booked everything — flights, hotels, and even activities. When they arrived at the airport, excitement quickly turned to shock. Airline staff told them they couldn’t board without an approved ESTA. Their romantic getaway ended at the check-in counter.

The following day, Mery posted a video from the airport, where she appeared upset as Alejandro tried to comfort her. “I always do a lot of research, but I asked ChatGPT and they said no,” she told her followers. In a lighthearted moment, she even joked that maybe the chatbot was getting back at her because she sometimes insulted it, calling it “useless.”

The video spread quickly across TikTok and YouTube, drawing thousands of views. Reactions, however, were divided. Some viewers were unsympathetic, arguing that international travel should never be planned solely on the word of a chatbot. “You have to check official sources if you’re flying abroad,” one comment read.

Others were more understanding, noting that the AI’s answer wasn’t entirely wrong, just incomplete. The mistake, they said, was in the way the question was asked and how the information was delivered.

For Mery and Alejandro, it was a hard lesson learned. Instead of beaches and sunshine, they got airport terminals and frustration. For everyone else, their story is a reminder that AI can be helpful, but when it comes to rules and regulations, nothing replaces double-checking with official sources.