Losing your passport at the airport doesn't have to mean your holiday is over. UK travellers need to know these key steps, as five travel experts explain what to do next.
During a recent trip to Stockholm, travelling with hand luggage only to cut costs, it struck me that nobody actually asks to see your passport until you are standing at the gate ready to board. So what happens if you reach into your bag and your passport is nowhere to be found? And just how far can you realistically get without one?
Retrace your steps first
Becky Theriault, Scandinavia travel specialist at The Luxury Holiday Company, advises that you should always retrace your steps before fearing the worst.
She explained: "Passports are often misplaced rather than permanently lost, so it's worth carefully retracing your route through the airport. Common places documents are left behind include security trays, airport lounges, restaurants, shops and gate seating areas."
"Many airports also have dedicated lost property teams, while security staff and airline representatives may be able to help locate a passport if it has been handed in. The sooner the relevant teams are notified, the greater the chance of recovering the passport before departure."
One of the biggest misconceptions travellers have is that losing a passport at the airport automatically means their holiday is over. In reality, a misplaced passport and a permanently lost passport are very different situations, and the outcome will depend on how quickly the issue is identified and reported.
Contact the airline and authorities
If you've done this with no luck, however, your next step should be to contact your airline.
Harry Deacon, a travel expert at esim company Holafly, explained: "If you cannot recover your missing passport, you must go to the airline's check-in counter or gate desk as well as to airport security or the police."
"Most airports have a substation of their respective national police on-site; for an official report for travel needs to continue, you will usually be required to obtain one from a security official or police officer."
Can you get on a flight without a passport?
If you have searched the airport thoroughly and notified the airline of your issue, you may be wondering what your options are — can you still board the aircraft, even having already checked in online?
In most cases, the straightforward answer is no — though exceptions do occasionally apply. Travel expert and owner of selfcatering.co.uk, Richard Young, has explained why checking in alone is not enough.
He said: "Checking in doesn't remove the requirement to have the correct physical travel document when you board. The airline can check your passport again at the gate and, if you cannot produce the document required for your destination, you will normally be refused boarding."
"There are exceptions though, on a UK domestic flight, a passport is not necessarily required at all so best to check with the airline first."
How to report a lost passport
If you are certain your passport is gone for good, it must be reported as lost. Alex Trimis, CEO and co-founder of Welcome Pickups, said: "Once a UK passport is reported lost, it is cancelled and cannot be used for travel, so don't rush this decision. However, it is advised to cancel a lost or stolen passport as soon as you're sure it's definitely lost to reduce the risk of anyone using your passport or identity."
A lost or stolen passport can be reported via the government website, for which you will need a phone number to hand. You may report it yourself, or alternatively arrange for someone else to do so on your behalf.
One measure that could simplify matters is keeping a copy of your passport accessible at all times, whether that's a scan or a photograph stored on your phone.
LP Maurice, travel expert and CEO of Busbud, said: "When travelling, I always advise keeping a copy of your passport somewhere separate from the original. It can also be useful to have a secure digital copy. A copy will not replace the passport at the airport, but it can help confirm your identity if something goes wrong. Losing a passport can mean changing your plans or missing a flight, but acting quickly, speaking to the right people and having copies of your important documents can make a difficult situation much easier to manage."
