Travel expert Simon Calder issued a warning over passports for anyone heading abroad over the Easter holidays.
The travel journalist appeared on ITV's This Morning to talk about holidaying over the school break, with hosts Dermot O'Leary and Alison Hammond. He warned that there could be travel chaos as the passport office staff go on strike.
He warned: "Strikes start on Monday and goes on until May 5. This is 1,000 people working for HM Passport Office."
READ MORE: Urgent advice issued on turning emergency alert notifications off
Simon said that many people are thinking that they need to change from a red passport to a blue one. He added: "There has already been a surge of applications for passports and many of them are unnecessary because people think 'oh I've got one of these [red] passports, not sure if it's run out, I better apply for a new [blue] one now.'
"But when they do that, of course, that shake things up when they don't really need one."
He then went through the European rules for passports as he said: "Your passport must not be older than 10 years on the day you go into the European Union and on the day you come out it needs to have at least three months remaining.
"Don't apply for a passport unless you really need one but do check it." Dermot asked: "So when should you be applying for one?"
Simon replied: "At the moment the home office, who run the passport office, have said you've got to allow 10 weeks and do not book any travel before you have got your passport sorted out. In reality, they have been coming back in a week or two but things are slowing down."
Receive newsletters with the biggest and breaking TV and showbiz news by signing up here
For more celeb news, videos and pictures follow our designated Facebook page HERE
READ MORE:
Good Morning Britain's Martin Lewis issues pension warning to anyone aged between 45-70
Paul O'Grady 'died in his own bed' hours after phone call with close friend
Asda issues nine day warning to all customers
Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis urges drivers to pay £14 now to avoid a £1,000 fine
Good Morning Britain's Susanna Reid apologises for explicit remark in fitting Paul O'Grady tribute
