EasyJet Offers to Cover Cost of Baby Passports with Holiday Bookings
The airline's new initiative aims to make family travel more accessible by removing the £66.50 fee for an infant's first passport.
Parents booking holidays with easyJet can now have the cost of their baby's first passport covered, a move designed to make international travel more accessible for families. The airline will cover the £66.50 fee for a child's passport when a holiday package is booked.
Research conducted by easyJet indicated that a significant number of parents, over a third of those surveyed, view obtaining a newborn passport as a major obstacle to taking a holiday. This new offer is intended to alleviate that financial burden.
According to the Office for National Statistics, approximately 585,000 families welcome a new baby each year in England and Wales. For many, a baby's first holiday is considered an important milestone, with 82 percent of parents viewing it as a landmark event and 57 percent calling it one of their proudest parenting achievements.
In the past year, easyJet transported over 22,000 infants, with city breaks emerging as a popular choice for young families. The airline's initiative is expected to be well-received, as 75 percent of surveyed parents believe that covering the passport cost will make a holiday with a baby seem more affordable.
EasyJet Captain Kate West stated that the airline aims to make travel as easy and accessible as possible for everyone, particularly young families. "We hope that covering the cost of a baby's first passport goes a small way towards making that first family adventure a little easier and gives our youngest travellers a warm welcome to the world," West said.
Many first-time parents traveling with infants find that package holidays offer reassurance. A large majority, 78 percent, agreed that package holidays remove the guesswork, and 64 percent find they make it easier to maintain a baby's routine while abroad.
Stuart Wright, customer director at easyJet holidays, expressed hope that the initiative would enable families to create memories sooner. "By covering the cost of a baby's first passport, we're helping more families start making those memories that little bit sooner," Wright explained. "Combined with our great-value packages, family-friendly hotels and thousands of free kids places, it's another way we're making family holidays easier and more affordable."
The offer is valid for one child up to 18 months old per holiday booked between October 22 and November 26.