Some timely consumer advice here;
With the announcement that more than 1,000 Passport Office workers are going on strike for five weeks over a dispute about jobs, pay and conditions from 3 April to 5 May, summer holidays could face disruption. So what are holidaymakers’ rights, and can travel insurance help?
Kevin Pratt, travel insurance expert at Forbes Advisor, said: “News that passport officers are planning a five-week strike between 3 April and 5 May will have sent many people whose passports are due for renewal flying into a panic. We’re heading into busy times for the travel sector, and passport applications and renewals are no exception. The strike has clearly been called to put maximum pressure on the employers.
“The strike won’t close passport offices completely but it will introduce delays into the process, and these could linger into the summer. Anyone with travel plans who needs to sort out their passport should start the ball rolling without delay to give themselves the best chance of having the necessary documentation to head overseas.
“Unfortunately, it is highly likely that your travel insurance will not provide cover if you do not have a valid passport when you’re due to travel. Insurers say it is the traveller’s responsibility to have all the required paperwork, and they don’t make allowances for the disruption caused by a strike.
“Equally, you won’t have any recourse from your airline if you have to cancel your flight – they’ll tell you the matter is out of their control and, as such, it is not their responsibility.”
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