Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
10 June 2014 10:04
Half a million people face ruined summer holidays as a result of the passport backlog.
A backlog of passport applications is threatening to cause chaos for thousands of holidaymakers this summer.
Half a million people are currently waiting for new documents, according to some estimates, and it is feared the total could swell even more in the coming months as travellers look to soak up the rays in sunnier climes.
Reports even suggest that staff from outside the Passport Office have been drafted in to help deal with the escalating issue as applications are taking as long as two months to process in the most extreme cases.
Hundreds of holidaymakers have already missed out on pre-booked trips overseas after their passports failed to arrive before they were due to depart, leaving them out of pocket to the tune of hundreds of pounds.
Travel insurance can protect against cancellation and curtailment, so make sure you take out adequate cover when booking holidays.
The passport problems are understood to be most serious for those applying for children's passports, but Paul Pugh, the chief executive of the Passport Office, has strongly denied claims of a backlog.
He declared that more than 97% of straightforward passport renewal and child applications are being processed within the three-week target turnaround time, while more than 99% of straightforward applications are being processed within four weeks.
This is despite a period of "exceptional early summer demand" due to the improving economy and a rise in holiday bookings.
Mike Jones, from the Public and Commercial Services Union, recently wrote to Mr Pugh to demand urgent negotiations regarding pay and conditions for workers after reports emerged that staff are being forced to "paper over the cracks" of a passport backlog by working overtime.
Unions claim officials only acted when the backlog reached 350,000, by which time it was too late to make a significant impact.
16 November 2018
Switching to a diet low in carbohydrates could see people lose up to 10kg over a three-year period, according to new research.
[more...]
15 November 2018
Smokers who regularly use vapers are more likely to try and quit smoking for good, new research has suggested.
14 November 2018
Leukaemia patients are now a step closer to personalised treatments after a British study looked at the role gene mutations play in blood cancers.
13 November 2018
A quick scan of the blood vessels in a patient's neck could soon be a critical part of future dementia screening, new research has suggested.
10 November 2018
The NHS spends more than £1 billion a year on prescriptions for people with diabetes, new figures show.
09 November 2018
Woman who smoke, have diabetes, or high blood pressure are more likely to suffer a heart attack than men with the same risk factors, a new study claims.
08 November 2018
Millions of UK pensioners feel they don't have anyone they can turn to for help, a leading charity has warned.
07 November 2018
Over a quarter of medical workers are still reluctant to recommend e-cigarettes to smokers despite being told to do so by health authorities, a new survey has revealed.
06 November 2018
A new direct flight between Manchester and Mumbai could boost the economy of northern England to the tune of £400 million, a new report suggests.
02 November 2018
Air travellers could soon face restrictions on the amount of alcohol they can drink before flying, under plans currently being considered by the government.
01 November 2018
A vegan diet could help people living with diabetes to better manage their condition, a new review suggests.
31 October 2018
Electric planes could soon be flying on short-haul routes in Europe, according to the boss of EasyJet.