Martin Lewis has urged holidaymakers to compare prices carefully before applying for travel permits, after MoneySavingExpert (MSE.com) discovered that British Airways passengers could be charged significantly more than official government fees when using a third-party service promoted on the airline's website.
BA directs customers to Sherpa tool
The consumer website, founded by Martin Lewis, found that British Airways directs customers to a travel permit tool powered by Sherpa, a third-party provider that charges administration fees for processing travel authorisations required by countries including the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
According to MSE.com research, travellers can often obtain the same permits directly from official government websites for less money, and in some cases free of charge.
Price comparison examples
- US ESTA: £51.43 through Sherpa vs £30.07 official fee
- Canadian eTA: £16.06 through Sherpa vs £3.75 official
- Australia eVisitor: £16.52 through Sherpa vs free official
- New Zealand ETA: £82.02 through Sherpa vs £50.94 official
MSE.com said it was alerted to the issue by a reader and reviewed information available to British Airways customers seeking travel documents. The website reported that while BA provided access to official government information, the Sherpa tool was often displayed more prominently on some pages.
Lewis criticises 'pirate ship' practice
Martin Lewis said: "British Airways is our national flag carrier, one of the UK's big legacy brands, with a supposed reputation for quality and service. Yet, with this questionable practice, it feels to me a little less like a flagship and a little bit more like a pirate ship."
The consumer champion said the airline's visa-checking tool appeared straightforward but could ultimately direct customers towards services costing considerably more than official government application routes. He added: "The innocuous-looking 'check your visa' tool it has embedded on its site looks fine, until it directs you to get a travel permit and gives you a price far higher than people would pay if they just went direct to the official government site."
Administration fees itemised but overlooked
MSE.com stressed that administration fees and government charges were itemised separately, but argued some travellers could still overlook the extra costs involved. Martin added: "I doubt most people would really pay £17 for an Australian e-Visitor doc if they knew they could easily click to get it for free from the official route. So I suspect a material number of people who do pay don't know they needn't."
The financial guru urged holidaymakers to compare prices carefully before applying for travel permits and to check whether official government application routes are available. MSE.com also reported that British Airways is not the only travel company using third-party travel document providers, with similar services found through other travel firms and airlines.
MSE.com advised travellers to look carefully for references to third-party providers and review any administration fees before making a payment. Holidaymakers heading to destinations such as the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand can usually apply directly through official government websites, which may offer lower costs than third-party services.
