Mayo call for airlines to introduce online passport expiry checks
Airlines should consider introducing online passport expiry checks in order to avoid passenger disappointment and missed flights as the demand for foreign travel increases, according to Mayo TD Alan Dillon.
He elaborated: “The Passport Office is experiencing their highest ever levels of demand for new and renewal passports in early 2022.
"It is estimated demand for passports will soar to between 1.3m and 1.7m passports being issued this year versus 634,000 in 2021.
“There is going to be huge demand for passport renewals unlike anything experienced before.
"The Passport Office have increased recruitment of staff. I have also received confirmation from Foreign Affairs Minister, Simon Coveney, that the Passport Office will recommence overtime.
"This will facilitate the operation of the office on a seven day basis in order to cater for the increase in passport applications and renewals.
“In addition to the increased demand for passports, there will inevitably be many people who forget their passports are out of date after almost two years of very little international travel.
"I have experienced a worrying increase in situations where people have booked trips at significant cost only to realise close to check-in for their flights that their passports have expired.
“In order to avoid this situation in future, airlines should prominently highlight a reminder to check their passports when people go to book their flights.
"This is a straightforward duty of care in the process of buying flights and will be a welcome consumer protection measure.
“While the Passport Office has an existing Passport Reminder Service, this needs to be revised with the increase in online applications and should in future result in issuing automatic reminders.
"If airlines such as Aer Lingus, Ryanair and other airlines implement a system whereby people are asked whether their passports are still six months in date when booking flights, customers will have to locate and check their passports – serving as a reminder of when they’re due to expire.
“If people apply for passports earlier than they need them, they are more likely to be successful in receiving them in time with little to no stress.
"It would also relieve some of the burden off the Passport Office by decreasing the number of emergency and fast-track applications.
“It is now time for airlines to come together and help customers, the Passport Office and the aviation and travel industries.
"In making a straightforward change to their booking processes and placing a prominent reminder on their websites could avoid much last minute panic.
"As foreign travel ramps-up over the coming months, I feel such a reminder when booking flights is an ideal consumer protection measure.”