Darci-Lee Hume, who identifies as a woman, believes her gender was behind Jetstar's refusal to allow her to board her flight.

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Jetstar has apologised to a transgender woman after she was refused boarding, she says because check-in staff didn't accept her identity.

Christchurch woman Darci-Lee Hume says she has "never felt so humiliated". The airline says Hume's gender was never an issue when they asked for identification and "regret any offence that was caused".

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Hume was due to fly to Wellington with a friend on Thursday morning to celebrate her birthday. Hume's friend had ticked "Miss" on the ticket as Hume identifies as a woman. Once they arrived at the airport Hume's friend, who only had a bank card as ID, was able to check-in; however Hume, who did not have any ID, was not.

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SUPPLIED Jetstar has apologised after a transgender passenger was denied boarding on one of its flights.

"When they came to me they said your details don't match up.

"They were just like, `look, you've got five seconds to provide some ID, prove who you are or you're not getting on this flight'."

After helping her friend board the plane, Hume said she went back to the check-in desk to see if there was any way she could get on the plane.

"I talked to one of the managers who said, `your details don't match up, it says Miss Darci, you are clearly not a Miss, Sir'."

A Jetstar spokesman said the company's procedures for domestic travel are in line with other airlines in New Zealand and Australia where all passengers must carry proof of identity that matches the information in their booking and on their boarding pass.

"Unfortunately we were unable to check in the customer for her flight when she came to our Christchurch airport counter as she could not provide any identification that matched the booking details or provide an itinerary."

The spokesman said gender "never came into the equation".

Hume said she felt "absolutely horrible".

"When they did look at me it was like they gave me a look like I was trying to steal someone's identity, it made me feel really sick . . . I knew there was going to be protocols but they did nothing to help.

"I have nothing else to believe but that it was just purely because I didn't present as their idea of what a female is."

Hume said her friend had lodged a formal complaint with Jetstar.

An airline spokesman said Jetstar had spoken to the person who made the booking, apologised for any distress Hume experienced, and refunded the fare as a "goodwill gesture".

ACCEPTABLE FORMS OF ID

- Passport, driver's licence, original or certified copy of a birth certificate or citizenship document, student ID or company issued ID. Other forms of ID may also be accepted at the discretion of the check-in staff.

* The first sentence in this story has been amended to clarify that it was Hume who said check-in staff did not accept her identity.