BBC presenter Holly Hamilton appeared on Morning Live to alert travellers to hidden costs and risks when booking flights overseas. The issue revolves around Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTAs), which UK passport holders must obtain for countries such as the US, Canada, and Australia.
Third-Party Sites Charge Extra Fees
A recent investigation by MoneySavingExpert (MSE) revealed that Sherpa, a third-party website passengers are directed to when booking through British Airways (BA), adds administration fees on top of official prices. Some permits that are free from governments, like Australia's eVisitor, cost £16.52 via Sherpa. The official US ESTA price is £30.16, while Sherpa charges £51.43—a 71% markup.
Hamilton explained: "(An ESTA) is basically an online form that you have to fill in before you go. Sherpa itself is not the ones issuing the permit. Basically, it's doing it for you on your behalf but you're paying for the privilege and you're paying quite a bit more."
Risks of Going It Alone
While travellers can complete ESTAs independently via official government websites, Hamilton warned against searching online for forms: "Please do not do that because it's very easy to click on some of these unauthorised third-party sites ones that might not help you actually fill out the application. They might not hit submit at all, but they will take your money and it can often be a sizable amount."
She advised: "Don't assume that you do need a middleman to fill these out. If you are concerned if you do want an extra set of eyes, ask a friend or a family member."
Sherpa and BA Respond
Sherpa stated: "Those who opt to use Sherpa often do so because they find the government portal confusing, difficult to use, prone to errors and unsupported. Our approach is to simplify the application process... We are transparent about the difference between the government fee and Sherpa's service fee."
BA commented: "We offer an optional third-party service to assist with this... It is clear that Sherpa is a third-party provider and may charge fees, and customers can always apply directly via official government channels."
