Losing a passport in Spain - how much of a pain?
Discussion
I was on opposite end of this situation last month. Found a British Passport that someone had dropped in baggage hall of Madrid Airport. Well in the gents to be precise.
Had a look around for someone matching the photo but place had more or less emptied so presuming the chap had left, handed it in to the lost property counter in the hall.
But still wondering how much of a Ballache it was going to be for the poor guy (assuming he didn't get it back from the airport and had to make other arrangements to get home).
So just out of interest, has anyone been through that and how did it pan out?
Had a look around for someone matching the photo but place had more or less emptied so presuming the chap had left, handed it in to the lost property counter in the hall.
But still wondering how much of a Ballache it was going to be for the poor guy (assuming he didn't get it back from the airport and had to make other arrangements to get home).
So just out of interest, has anyone been through that and how did it pan out?
Happened to me last year in Madrid.
Had problems trying to check in my hotel because they would only take my passport as proof of ID. Eventually the manager was called and fortunately he recognised me from previous stays at another hotel and made an exception. I even had a copy of the police report but before he turned up no one would accept it.
When applying for a new passport the web page application was only straight forward if you were coming back directly to the UK. If you were stopping over in the country it was stolen with a view of going somewhere else other that returning to the UK it was really hard work. It necessitated numerous calls to the British Embassy in Madrid to sort out and the department isn't open at the weekend.
Getting people to sign off the new passport photos was difficult. In the end I gave up and wrote a begging letter to the Passport office.
The replacement cost about four times as much, all included, compared to getting one in the UK and my insurance cover only covered 1/3rd.
It was a really, really bad experience and it took about three weeks to get the replacement. I had to stay in the same hotel until the new one arrived because they needed a delivery address for the new passport. I'm fortunate in that I wasn't on a connecting flight or had other commitments.
Had problems trying to check in my hotel because they would only take my passport as proof of ID. Eventually the manager was called and fortunately he recognised me from previous stays at another hotel and made an exception. I even had a copy of the police report but before he turned up no one would accept it.
When applying for a new passport the web page application was only straight forward if you were coming back directly to the UK. If you were stopping over in the country it was stolen with a view of going somewhere else other that returning to the UK it was really hard work. It necessitated numerous calls to the British Embassy in Madrid to sort out and the department isn't open at the weekend.
Getting people to sign off the new passport photos was difficult. In the end I gave up and wrote a begging letter to the Passport office.
The replacement cost about four times as much, all included, compared to getting one in the UK and my insurance cover only covered 1/3rd.
It was a really, really bad experience and it took about three weeks to get the replacement. I had to stay in the same hotel until the new one arrived because they needed a delivery address for the new passport. I'm fortunate in that I wasn't on a connecting flight or had other commitments.
A crazy last minute trip to Monaco for the GP, Booked the Thursday before.
Flew to Turin, Hire car to Nice, back to Turin on Monday. What a night we had there, once it opened @ 7pm, being a bank holiday.
Up late for the airport, forgot to collect passports from hotel reception, No idea how, we got through secutity, on to the flight, and out of Stansted, it was a while ago, and not really with it.
Called Hotel and they posted the passports.
Would it happen now?
Flew to Turin, Hire car to Nice, back to Turin on Monday. What a night we had there, once it opened @ 7pm, being a bank holiday.
Up late for the airport, forgot to collect passports from hotel reception, No idea how, we got through secutity, on to the flight, and out of Stansted, it was a while ago, and not really with it.
Called Hotel and they posted the passports.
Would it happen now?
the-norseman said:
If hes dropped it in the airport, hell get as far as the gate if hes passed security already before realising, first check for the gate staff would be lost property probably.
I reckon the chap probably made his flight.
No. This was in baggage pick up area. Assuming he was going to a hotel though I expect he would notice quickly and return to airportI reckon the chap probably made his flight.
Edited by Spitfire2 on Wednesday 21st August 00:59
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