Travel with Katie Butler: ​Don’t forget to check your passport

Katie Butler writes: With the UK no longer being a member of the European Union (EU), there are now different requirements for British passport holders when travelling to countries in the European Union, as well as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechenstein.

With this in mind let's make it simple:

• It cannot be more than ten years old when entering the country – so check when your passport was issued and when it is due to expire. An adult ten year passport that was renewed early may well have additional months that will effectively make your passport over ten years old. For travel to the EU, these additional months will no longer be valid.
• Most places in Europe will require you to have at least three months left on your passport on the date of departure from your destination. Check the travel advice for your destination at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.
• If you need to renew – do it early. The Passport Office is advising it could take up to ten weeks to process a passport renewal or application from the UK.

Last year we had a handful of customers caught out due to the delays in processing passports and leaving it too late, so check your passports and if necessary apply now.

Terms and conditions with airlines and tour operators have also now gone back to normal, meaning it may not be so easy to change your holiday to a later date as it was during the height of the pandemic.

Hard to believe we are already in April, and what a first quarter of the year we have enjoyed.

The results are in and along with most travel agents, airlines and tour operators we have absolutely smashed previous years with record breaking sales.

The Post Office Travel Money have released last week their 17th annual holiday travel money report which shadows the industries exceptional start to the year, stating: “Holidaymakers rate overseas trips as their biggest priority after paying for food, energy, and other essential bills.”

According to the research, more than two in five (41 per cent) say they will dip into their savings to afford a holiday abroad, while more than half will do without home improvements or spending on cars.

As we approach the Easter holidays we are giving out lots of tickets for those of you lucky enough to be getting away, including our travel consultant Karen who has jetted off to Tenerife for ten nights, updates to follow.

Late deal season is upon us and 35 per cent of bookings last week were to travel in May and June with Majorca and Tenerife taking top spot. There are some great prices including holidays with ‘free child places’ still available for the early summer but limited availability for the main July/August holidays.