Worldchoice members are no longer able to offer a passport application checking service from tomorrow (January 11), resulting in losses of thousands of pounds for some rural agents.
The consortium, which has provided the fast-track service for 10 years, lost its contract with the Passport Agency after it was unable to meet new criteria. About 300 agencies offered the checking service before sending applications to the Passport Agency. Worldchoice members were the only travel agencies in the country to offer the service.
The Passport Agency required the number of transactions to increase from 36,000 to 250,000 a year. As only the Post Office was able to meet the new requirement, the contract with Worldchoice was not renewed.
Worldchoice chairman Colin Heal said although only two-thirds of members used the service it was very important to agents in rural areas.
He said: “We’re concerned because this will mean some clients will have to travel long distances to reach a post office. The situation will be different when the contract comes up for renewal again. By then many post offices will have closed, and if the merger with Global goes ahead we will be able to meet the requirements.”
Lancashire-based agent Tracey Dixon of Over Sands Travel said she will lose £20,000 of revenue (£6 for each passport checked) by no longer offering the service. “The service is very popular because we are a 15-mile journey from the nearest post office. It will be a big financial loss to us and a huge inconvenience to our customers.”
Bailey’s Travel managing director Chris Bailey said although each of his four shops only processed up to four applications a week, the service generated extra sales.
He said members must shoulder the blame for failing to push the service. “If you have something that is good for your business then you do it and if you don’t support it then it’ll be lost.”
The Passport Agency refused to comment.