I’ll admit this isn’t strictly BA related so mods please feel free to move, but please beware the following trap.

Yesterday I turned up at the airport to take my family on our first foreign holiday for 2 years, thanks to the virus.

Upon presenting ourselves at the check in desk of a certain Irish airline I was advised that I couldn’t fly as even though my passport had more than 6 months left on it, the 10 year anniversary of its the issue date is in 2 weeks time. The law apparently states that a 10 year passport is only valid for 10 years from its issue, NOT the expiry date.

Needless to say there were some very emotional scenes as my young boys couldn’t understand why their Dad couldn’t travel with them. Not to mention an absolutely distraught father who had to watch his family disappear through security without him.

So, if you renew your passport before it has expired and the unused credit from the previous one is added on to the new one, take note that the extension beyond 10 years is superfluous. It cannot be used if your travel date is within 6 months of the 10 year anniversary.

Meantime, and a lot poorer for having to fork out for an emergency passport so I can join them next week, plus the cost of new flights during half term week, I’m sitting here licking my wounds.

Don’t let the same thing happen to you.