On Sunday (yes, Easter Sunday) I received a 'phone call from the Durham Passport Office advising that they could not guarantee delivery of my replacement passport by Wednesday 23rd (despite earlier assurances that they could). As Ros and I were due to fly to Copenhagen on Thursday morning I adopted the posture of a headless chicken and, at considerable expense, re-booked our flights for early June (Ros being unable to book leave during May). I also had to re-book the taxi to Gatwick and re-book the hotel in Copenhagen, which will now cost considerably more, the dates falling into their 'peak period'. OK, adopting a philosophical attitude to life's vicissitudes, I thought 'That's that'....
This morning I receive a further 'phone call from the Durham Passport office advising that my passport was being printed and if I was prepared to pay £5.82 to cover the cost my passport would be delivered tomorrow, Wednesday 23rd April before 1:00pm. They had decided to waive the additional cost of £55.50 for the Premium Fast Track service as a senior manager had decided that that was not warranted in my case (it never was; it all came down to my not receiving their so called letter of 13th March about the photos I had submitted).
Their mishandling of my passport renewal has now cost me an additional £400 for a mini break to Copenhagen. It had better be worth it....
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