Latest news with #boardingpass
The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
Holiday warning over easy passport and boarding pass mistakes that could land you with a hefty bill worth £1,000s
HOLIDAYMAKERS are being warned that simple mistakes with passports or boarding passes could end up costing thousands of pounds. Experts say losing your passport or throwing away your boarding pass could leave you unable to travel or stuck with surprise bills. 1 Another key blunder includes saving a scanned copy of your passports on your digital devices. Cybercriminals are targeting travel documents, with stolen passports, boarding passes, and hotel bookings being sold for thousands on the dark web. Research from NordVPN and Saily has uncovered thousands of stolen travel details being traded online, putting Brits at risk of identity theft and financial scams. Verified UK passports are among the most valuable, selling for over £4,000 if they're valid and uncompromised. When passports are recorded as missing or stolen and invalidated, the risk of fraud is reduced, but such documents can still slip past some companies with more relaxed reviewing procedures. Even older, invalid passports can fetch up to £8 and may still slip through lax security checks. Boarding passes and airline loyalty accounts are also hot commodities, with criminals using them to steal frequent flyer miles or access personal information. Hackers have also targeted hotel bookings made through popular platforms like selling reservations at steep £200 discounts or claiming refunds to their own accounts. Cybercriminals use malware to scan devices for sensitive files like passport scans, hack email accounts to retrieve travel documents, or exploit data breaches at airlines and travel agencies. Physical mistakes, such as leaving boarding passes behind at airports or sharing passport scans on insecure cloud folders, can also make travellers easy targets. Marijus Briedis, chief technology officer at NordVPN, said: "The best way you can protect yourself against these types of fraud is to ensure that all of your devices are kept updated with antivirus software and make sure that anything related to your holiday booking is saved in a secure place. "If you have been asked by your travel agent to send over a copy of your passport, don't be afraid to ask them what they do with that scan once your booking has been completed. "Take precautions in the airport too, and don't leave boarding passes in public places, as even these have enough information to put you at risk of identity fraud." Ultimately, to stay safe, travellers should secure their documents and avoid discarding boarding passes or sharing passport scans carelessly. was contacted for comment. How to report scams If you think you have been a victim of a scam, you should report it as soon as possible. There is no guarantee you'll get your money back, but banks will often compensate you if you can show you did not know the money would leave your account. You can forward scam emails to report@ If you notice a website that doesn't look quite right, you can also report it to the National Cyber Security Centre by visiting You should also contact your provider and report it to Action Fraud, which will give you a crime reference number. You can do this online by visiting or by calling 0300 123 2040. If you're in Scotland, report a scam through Advice Direct Scotland online by visiting You can also report scams to Police Scotland on 101. If you need further help, contact Citizens Advice Scams Action by visiting or calling 0808 223 1133. Action Fraud's advice on holiday fraud THINIKNG about booking a holiday this year? Follow our top tips to avoid falling victim to holiday fraud DO YOUR RESEARCH: Before committing and booking your dream holiday, make sure that you do a thorough online search to ensure the company is credible. PAY SAFELY: If you have a credit card, use it when shopping online. Most major credit card providers protect online purchases. LOOK FOR LOGOS: Check if a travel company is an ABTA, the Travel Association, member or an ATOL holder. Look for the ABTA logo on the company's website. If you have any doubts, you can verify their membership of ABTA online on their website. If you're booking a flight as part of a package holiday and want to find out more information about ATOL protection, visit the ATOL website. STAY SAFE ONLINE: Use three random words to create a strong email password that's different from all your other passwords. If two-step verification is available, always enable it. WATCH FOR SUSPICIOUS MESSAGES: Be cautious of unexpected emails or messages offering unrealistic holiday deals. If you receive a suspicious email, report it by forwarding it to: report@ PROTECT PERSONAL INFORMATION: Only fill in the mandatory details on a website when making a purchase. If possible, don't create an account for the online store when making your payment. BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE: Be sceptical of unrealistic holiday deals. If they sound too good to be true, they probably are. Exercise caution and research before making a purchase.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Yahoo
The 1 Boarding Pass Mistake You Should Never Make—It Could Cost You Your Vacation
Experts recommend against sharing photos of a boarding pass on social media. A family had their seats and meals changed, after sharing a selfie with their boarding pass, according to press reports. Luggage tags and baggage claim tags can also have a significant amount of personal information. Snapping photos and posting them on social media is a fun way to share a travel adventure. However, experts are sounding the alarm on one type of photo that could turn a dream vacation into a travel nightmare. Security experts have published a warning against posting screenshots or photos of boarding passes on social media. In recent years, online scammers and thieves have been able to extract significant personal information from a boarding pass, even if the confirmation number is obscured. As an added precaution, experts also advise not posting photos of luggage tags which can also contain additional personal information and other traveler information. The warning was authored by the United Kingdom-based law firm HD Claims, which says that advanced scammers can scrape the personal data from a QR code or a barcode on the boarding pass, even when the main personal information is concealed. In addition to not sharing the information on social media, the firm recommends shredding and destroying all travel documents, as they have observed cases where tickets had been picked out of hotel trash cans. 'This isn't just about social embarrassment, it's a serious data protection issue,' legal expert at HD Claims Adam Douglas shared in a statement to Travel + Leisure. 'If your ID or travel account is compromised as a result, you could end up footing the bill or losing your holiday altogether.'In May 2025, a family who innocently posted photos of their boarding pass online to celebrate an upcoming international trip became victims of a travel nightmare, according to a report detailing the alleged 'sabotage' from Wake Up Singapore. The Hong Kong-based family claimed in the report that their seats were re-assigned, and special kosher meals were replaced from their initial requests. Worst of all, the parents were separated from their two children, according to the report. When former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott posted his boarding pass for an upcoming flight on his Instagram account, his personal information was obtained by a third party. However, the self-described hacker who obtained Abbott's passport details and number used it as an opportunity to spotlight the importance of internet security, versus any negative outcome, according to a BBC report. In addition to not posting a boarding pass, there are many other easy tips to enhance safety when traveling. The United States Department of State recommends carefully researching a destination, not telling strangers where you are staying, locking windows and doors, and avoiding carrying anything expensive. Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
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Travel + Leisure
14-07-2025
- Travel + Leisure
The 1 Boarding Pass Mistake You Should Never Make—It Could Cost You Your Vacation
Snapping photos and posting them on social media is a fun way to share a travel adventure. However, experts are sounding the alarm on one type of photo that could turn a dream vacation into a travel nightmare. Security experts have published a warning against posting screenshots or photos of boarding passes on social media. In recent years, online scammers and thieves have been able to extract significant personal information from a boarding pass, even if the confirmation number is obscured. As an added precaution, experts also advise not posting photos of luggage tags which can also contain additional personal information and other traveler information. The warning was authored by the United Kingdom-based law firm HD Claims, which says that advanced scammers can scrape the personal data from a QR code or a barcode on the boarding pass, even when the main personal information is concealed. In addition to not sharing the information on social media, the firm recommends shredding and destroying all travel documents, as they have observed cases where tickets had been picked out of hotel trash cans. 'This isn't just about social embarrassment, it's a serious data protection issue,' legal expert at HD Claims Adam Douglas shared in a statement to Travel + Leisure . 'If your ID or travel account is compromised as a result, you could end up footing the bill or losing your holiday altogether.' In May 2025, a family who innocently posted photos of their boarding pass online to celebrate an upcoming international trip became victims of a travel nightmare, according to a report detailing the alleged 'sabotage' from Wake Up Singapore. The Hong Kong-based family claimed in the report that their seats were re-assigned, and special kosher meals were replaced from their initial requests. Worst of all, the parents were separated from their two children, according to the report. When former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott posted his boarding pass for an upcoming flight on his Instagram account, his personal information was obtained by a third party. However, the self-described hacker who obtained Abbott's passport details and number used it as an opportunity to spotlight the importance of internet security, versus any negative outcome, according to a BBC report. In addition to not posting a boarding pass, there are many other easy tips to enhance safety when traveling. The United States Department of State recommends carefully researching a destination, not telling strangers where you are staying, locking windows and doors, and avoiding carrying anything expensive.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Yahoo
Taking a summer trip? Don't throw out your boarding passes, officials say
Flyers taking trips this summer may look at their boarding pass and just see their entry to an airplane. But your boarding pass contains a lot more than just your plane seat and gate number. It also includes codes that communicate details about passengers and their itineraries to airport staff. These include unique alphanumeric codes that identify reservation details, acronyms identifying a passenger's place in boarding and letters used to identify a passenger's fare class. And there's the code that flyers dread seeing: SSSS, which means they'll get additional security screening. Here's what air travelers should know about the codes on their boarding passes. Travel publications like Conde Nast Traveler and security experts like Brian Krebs of KrebsOnSecurity urge travelers not to throw out paper boarding passes, even after their flight has ended. Related: As TSA reportedly changes its shoes policy, don't forget these other airport security rules Because a boarding pass contains so much personal information about a traveler, scammers who find discarded boarding passes can use that information to access their accounts. That's why travel and security experts also advise against posting photos of a boarding pass online. Experts recommend flyers shred their paper boarding passes after using, or board using their mobile phones instead. These are some of the most common codes seen on airline boarding passes: SSSS: Secondary Security Screening Selection. These letters mean the passenger has been selected for additional screening, which can include luggage searches, pat-downs and additional questioning at the TSA checkpoint. PNR: Passenger Name Reference. It's an alphanumeric code used to uniquely identify a passenger's itinerary and basic information about them. Travelers need their PNR to look up information about their flights. ET or ETKT: Electronic Ticket. Some airlines use these acronyms instead of PNR to list the code that contains information about a passenger's itinerary. FQTV: Frequent Traveler. This code indicates the traveler is registered with the airline's frequent flyer or loyalty program. SEQ or SEQ NO: Sequence number. It indicates the passenger's place in boarding. Flyers discussing the code on the travel website FlyerTalk said the most coveted sequence code is "SEQ 001," which means the passenger is the first to board. BCBP: Bar-Coded Boarding Pass. It's a bar code that contains passenger information and is scanned to board a plane. The International Air Transport Association sets standards for bar codes on boarding passes, outlined in a lengthy guide; these include the size of the code, its readability and securing codes for fraud prevention. S/O: Stopover. The flight includes a layover in one or more airports. SPTC: Stopover Paid by the Carrier. This means the flight includes a layover that lasts longer than a few hours. It also signals overnight accommodations may be included. A or F: Indicates a first-class ticket. J: Business Class. It indicates the passenger's ticket is for a full-price business class fare. Y: Economy Class. Most airlines use this code to indicate the passenger is in economy class. Related: California has some of the best and worst airports for business travelers in the US: Study The TSA does not publish guidance that explains why people are selected for secondary screening. Anecdotal evidence suggests people are selected for various reasons, which can include: Unusual or suspicious travel patterns. Mistaken identity, often because the passenger's name appears on a TSA watchlist. One-way international flights. Last-minute flights. Purchasing tickets using cash. Traveling to destinations flagged by the U.S. Department of State as high-risk destinations. Some places are more likely to trigger SSSS than others; The Points Guy wrote that it comes up frequently when traveling to and/or from Turkey. Behavior at the airport that the TSA thinks raises suspicions. Random selection. Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who's covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic's consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: What boarding pass codes say about you. What Californians should know
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Yahoo
Why You Should Always Print Your Boarding Pass
Even though mobile boarding passes are convenient, printing a paper boarding pass is a good idea to avoid any travel mishaps if your phone dies or you lose you ever thought about the evolution of boarding passes? In the early days of commercial aviation, passengers were issued hand-written tickets, sans seat assignment, that doubled as boarding passes. By the 1970s, airlines were using computers to print out boarding pass cards. Some would even indicate if you wanted to sit in a non-smoking section. The DIY print-at-home paper boarding pass debuted in the 1990s when more people started getting personal computers and email accounts. Then came the advent of the smartphone, and by 2010, mobile boarding passes were the standard. These days, savvy travelers are opting to go old-school again. While scanning a QR code on your phone is convenient and eco-friendly, it's far from foolproof. Here's why you should always print out your boarding pass. Imagine waiting in line for an agonizing 40 minutes to go through security. You're scrolling on your phone to stay sane as the battery quickly wanes in the background. As Murphy's Law would have it, your phone dies the moment you get up to the TSA agent and have to present your boarding pass. Having a dead phone is worse than having no phone. That's exactly what happened to Karen Kapnik, an avid traveler who flies a lot for work and often has tight connections. 'I had to go all the way back to the area where you can print a boarding pass,' Kapnik tells Travel + Leisure about the time her phone died at the most inopportune moment. Even though she describes herself as an 'early adopter of the mobile boarding pass' that embarrassing incident that almost made her miss her flight was enough to convince her to always print her boarding pass in the future. When Adam Scott was founding BermudAir, a Bermuda-based airline in the process of launching a sister airline, AnguillAir, he made sure the company's app supported Apple Wallet so passengers could save their mobile boarding passes after checking in online. That said, Scott tells T+L that BermudAir always recommends travelers carry a printed copy, too. 'In some international airports, mobile service or Wi-Fi access may be limited,' he explains. 'Having a physical copy on hand helps avoid unnecessary stress and ensures a smooth check-in and boarding experience from start to finish." Of course, you can always get around having to pull your app or email up by taking a screenshot of your boarding pass in advance. Still, it's easy to forget to do that. Plus, if your phone dies and you can't access your photo library, you're still out of luck. Although the JetBlue app comes close with a 4.9-star average rating in the App Store, no airline app is perfect. 'I just dealt with this in Italy two days ago,' says travel advisor Rebekah Ingraham. 'We were on a tight connection through Paris, and my mobile boarding pass kept switching from available to not available on the airline's app.' Former flight attendant-turned-travel expert Bobby Laurie can relate. 'Once my flight was cancelled, and in order to rebook me, the agent at the airport needed to scan my boarding pass,' Laurie tells T+L. 'Except when the flight was cancelled, the mobile boarding pass disappeared.' Laurie had to wait 20 minutes for the agent to look up the reservation and track down the missing boarding pass before she could rebook him. In those scenarios, 20 minutes can be all the difference between getting on the next flight out later that night or getting bumped to a flight that doesn't leave until the next day. Finally, you should always print out your boarding pass because the printed-out version may have more information than its mobile counterpart. For example, it often includes your ticket number—which you may need if you have to call the airline to request a refund. The mobile boarding pass typically only includes your confirmation number. Read the original article on Travel & Leisure
