The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) has found that more than 60,000 Britons have reported their passport lost or stolen over the past year.

Identify theft can be damaging and costly so here is some advice should this happen to you:

• If your passport is lost or stolen in the UK, you need to report it as soon as possible. You will need to obtain a LS01 form from the IPS, a regional passport office, local police station or from a post office branch if it offers the passport check & send service.
• The theft of a passport must be reported to the police, crime reference details will be needed for the LS01 form.
• If your passport is lost or stolen abroad, you should report it to the local police and again you will need the crime reference details.  You must also report this to the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) embassy, consulate or high commission of the country you are in. Details of these can be obtained by contacting the FCO on +44 (0)20 7008 1500 or by visiting the FCO website.
• If you are abroad, the FCO will provide replacement travel documents for your journey home. Your passport will then be replaced once you are home.

The IPS recommends that travellers follow a few simple steps to ensure that their passport is kept safe:

• Get two photocopies of your passport and keep one at home and another with you in your luggage, separate from your passport while you are away.
• Find a safe place to keep your passport while at home and abroad.
• If you are ever asked for your passport, be cautious about handing it over.

A good travel insurance policy can contribute towards any expenses incurred for extra travel or accommodation to get your replacement passport. Check the terms and conditions of any policy to ensure you will be covered when you need it the most!

This year many major travel companies have decided to reinvest in the high street. Big names such as Thomas Cook have opened 20-30 new branches this year and Teletext holidays have teamed up with Tesco.

With the news packed with stories of failed tour operators, should we be heading back to the high street to book our annual break? Do we miss speaking to someone about the best places to go and the nicest hotels, or do we now rely on review sites to make our decisions?

Here are our top tips to get the best advice and the best price:

• Before you start looking for a holiday, think about what elements will suit you and your party. Will you want a fully-inclusive resort or would you rather have more flexibility?
• Allow yourself plenty of time for research, if you have ordered brochures over the internet, they can take up to 2 weeks to arrive.
• Visit at least a couple of high street Travel Agents, try a well-known name and a local independent firm and compare what is being offered.
• Think about all added extras such as car hire and get quotes for these. Make sure you write down all prices offered.
• Compare the prices you have obtained on the high street with those offered on-line, you may be able make a substantial saving.
• Remember to check what protection is available before you buy your holiday, whether on-line or with a travel agent.

If you are unsure where to go and what locations will be suitable for you, asking the advice of a travel agent can actually save you time. Always compare the prices you have been quoted with what is offered on-line and you should get the best of both worlds!

More good news for holidaymakers this week as BAA and Unite union forged an agreement over pay late on Monday 16th August.

BAA workers were threatening to strike over August bank holiday weekend, affecting Heathrow, Stansted, Southampton, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh Airports. Strike action would have closed these Airports, as BAA employ security staff, fire fighters and support staff.

We recommend those with flights already booked to check the status of your flight online, or contact your travel operator or airline directly if you have already changed your flight times. If you need to amend your car hire booking as a result of this, please contact us.

Unite has announced that workers at BAA have voted in favour of strike action in August.  This could affect Heathrow, Stansted, Southampton, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh Airports. Staff working for BAA include security staff, engineers, fire fighters and support staff. BAA had offered its staff a 1% pay rise, which has been deemed unacceptable by Unite union.

It has been confirmed that Airports will have to close on the days affected by strike action as essential staff will be involved in the walk outs. A minimum of 1 weeks’ notice must be given before any strike action can go ahead, and further negotiations are due to commence on Monday 16th August. The last planned walkout in 2002 was averted by BAA with a last minute pay deal.

If you are planning to book a last minute holiday, we would advise that you consider flying from an alternative airport such as Gatwick or Luton. If the strike does indeed go ahead, we would recommend those with flights already booked to check the status of your flight online, or contact your travel operator or airline directly to try to rearrange your flights. If you need to amend your car hire booking as a result of this, please contact us.

As always, we recommend that customers take out full travel insurance which will provide cover in these circumstances.

Recent research carried out by Santander revealed that an estimated £49m is expected to be wasted on unnecessary extra charges this summer with credit and debit cards. Credit cards can offer you extra protection and provide an alternative to carrying large amounts of cash. According to Money Saving Expert’s Martin Lewis, the best credit cards to use abroad are: Post Office Platinum MasterCard, Santander Zero MasterCard, Nationwide BS Gold Visa, Saga Platinum Visa and Halifax Clarity.

Pre-paid credit cards are also a great alternative if you are looking for added security; you can top up the cards with cash and for a small charge, most issuers will replace the card if its funds are lost or stolen.

What to look out for when choosing credit and debit cards to use abroad:

• The ‘load’ fee on top of the exchange rate – you can be charged up to 2.75% every time that the card is used.
• Interest charges that apply even when the balance is paid off in full.
• Cash withdrawal fees on top of the above ‘load’ fee when using an ATM – these can be around 2.5%.
• Additional ‘penalty fees’ each time you use the card. Halifax, RBS, NatWest and Lloyds TSB all have additional fees.

We recommend that you visit the website of the card issuer and use a money advice website such as Money Saving Expert for up to date information. Please also remember that if you are hiring a car with us, the main driver will need a credit card to secure the hire of the vehicle. Pre-paid cards and debit cards will not be accepted for this.  See our terms and conditions for further information.

Nationwide has announced that from 1st November 2010 a 2% commission charge will be applied to all debit card transactions throughout Europe. Charges of £1 for each cash withdrawal will also be applied, when using your Nationwide debit card abroad. In March 2010 they announced that there would be charges for using their debit cards anywhere outside Europe.

The Nationwide Flex account does not currently charge any fees for debit card transactions or cash withdrawals throughout Europe. To compensate customers for this change to their terms and conditions, free travel insurance will be given to current account holders who pay a minimum of £750 into their accounts each month.

Although the introduction of these may be seen as a blow to Nationwide customers, they are still low in comparison to other high street Banks and Building Societies.

This week, Spanish Air Traffic Controllers have threatened to go ahead with strike action in mid-August. It’s estimated that over 1 million British tourists will travel to Spain for their holidays between May and September, so many of you will be affected. Last year, the threat of strikes loomed over Spain at the height of the summer, however, the disputes were settled and they did not go ahead.

If you are affected by these strikes, perhaps you should consider flying to an airport in neighbouring Portugal and driving to your destination. Airports in Portugal include Lisbon, Faro and Porto, and this alternative will allow you to travel to your holiday destination hassle free. Carriers such as Easyjet, BMIbaby, British Airways, TAP and Jet2 all operate services to these locations.

In any case, we recommend that you check the status of your flight with your airline before you leave for the airport. You should be able to do this on-line. If you are affected by the strike action and need to amend your car hire booking, please contact us. We also recommend that you have full travel insurance.