Flyers urged to keep passports safe

Travellers need to ensure their passports are adequately protected when jetting off abroad, according to one organisation.

It currently costs £72 to replace an existing passport, but the real cost of losing one could be significantly higher, Essential Travel warns.

The company states that extra costs to the tune of hundreds of pounds could be incurred through having to delay flights and rebook accommodation should a passport be lost or stolen just before a holiday.

And the non-financial cost of losing a passport, such as becoming a victim of identity theft, may also be harmful, it says.

"The true value of a passport is almost incomprehensible for any British citizen not living in a country where escape to the UK is a dream come true," comments Stuart Bensusan of Essential Travel.

Last month, the UK Identity & Passport Service announced that 16 and 17-year-olds can now apply for a passport and change their name without the consent of their parents.

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