Expired passport - travel tomorrow?

QrizB

I think we're out of luck but I'm asking here in case anyone has a bright idea!

Mrs QrizB and me are due to fly tomorrow to Vienna for a long weekend break (an ATOL-certified package holiday booked via BA).

Mrs QrizB has just checked her passport and it expired in February ...

Yes, I know.

Is there anything we can do now (2pm on the day before a 1235 flight from Heathrow) to fix this? We've checked online and in-person passport office appointments need to be made two days in advance, so we've missed that window.

No, I don't want to go on my own. And no, I'm not looking for a divorce lawyer!

Any ideas?

Brie

Emergency passport appointment??

QrizB

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81981481#Comment_81981481

The "urgent" service says it takes two days:

https://www.gov.uk/get-a-passport-urgently

Is there an even faster one that I've not found?

(I should probably add that the entire package holiday was only £1100 so paying several hundreds/thousands for some sort of VIP passport renewal probably isn't going to be value for money. But I'd welcome information if such a service exists.)

Exodi

While you wait for a response from others that may have been in this situation, have you spoke to the passport adviceline?

https://www.gov.uk/passport-advice-line

Telephone: 0300 222 0000

Thinking out loud, could you also get an emergency travel document (I appreciate you'll get short shrift on the definition of an emergency). I don't know if it's specifically limited to inbound journeys.

la531983

Not sure what the relevance is of "an ATOL-certified package holiday booked via BA", at the end of the day this is your wifes mess-up and you have no recourse against BA, ATOL, ABTA, your credit card provider…nobody.

Suppose they could show some goodwill and fly you out on Friday rather than Thursday if you get an appointment, but maybe they dont actually need to

QrizB

Not sure what the relevance is of "an ATOL-certified package holiday booked via BA"

Full disclosure upfront seemed the best idea. Too many threads have details missing. I might've had different options if I'd booked flights and hotel separately.

la531983

No thats fair enough. I would suggest asking BA to get you on a flight leaving a day later is the best case scenario here.

saajan_12

The emergency wouldn't work as that's for people stranded abroad to return. Question: are you planning to renew the passport anyway for future travel?

You could get the urgent appointment in 2 days costing £239.50, which is £137.50 more than a standard renewal would cost. You could then ask BA to move to you a later flight or book a new flight only to still use the accommodation portion. Work out the cost of that and decide if its still worth it to you.

QrizB

Yes, we're planning to renew anyway.

Thanks for your suggestions; we'll see what appointments are available for Friday, then call BA to see what options we might have regarding changes.

la531983

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81981518#Comment_81981518

There is a BA flight at 1655 from LHR to VIE, that is likely your best bet if you can get an early Friday appointment and BA are able to move you

Smith2001uk

We had this recently, the 2 day rule was true. though we found out on a Monday and it was done the Thursday. the only thing you can do is just try and hope. but in all likelihood its probably a no.

Was the mix up the 10 years from issue EU rule thing?