Aussies slam "horrendous" passport quality
An Australian traveller has expressed his frustration over the persistent curling issue of the world's most expensive passport.
The citizen slammed the "horrendous" quality of the R Series travel document on social media.
“My mind is blown. Our passport is the most expensive in the world and the quality of them is horrendous,” they said with a photo of their passport curling at the edges.
“I got this passport a month or two ago for my current trip and every time it’s not in a sleeve for more than an hour, this happens,” they said.
“No, it’s never gotten wet, or (had) any weather damage. This is just how it is. I know Malaysia’s humidity is bad but no way it’s this bad.”
The traveller, who asked to remain anonymous, told 7News that the photo was taken after the $398 passport had been sitting in a temperature-controlled room set to 18C for eight hours.
“I’d had no issues with the old one. The old passport looks newer than this one, which is the most ridiculous part of it,” they said.
They added that the passport “fixes itself less and less and less” after each time it folds, and was unacceptable considering the cost.
The post triggered a wave of responses, with many sharing their own experiences.
“Mine has lived under a heavy book ever since I got it because of this,” one person said.
Another claimed their passport curling “inside the envelope it arrived in”.
A third said it was only a “matter of time” before an Australian traveller is “stranded” because their passport is refused.
One person claimed theirs “already has several loose pages”, with another traveller saying their son's passport was “holding on by the merest thread” even though he has not used it yet.
The Australian Passport Office explained that the curling does not invalidate the document.
“You may notice a slight curling on the cover of your R Series passport. This occasionally occurs due to changes in humidity,” the office said.
“It’s not a manufacturing defect and doesn’t affect the validity of your passport.
“Keeping your passport tightly secured will help prevent this curling.
“For example, you can use an envelope or passport holder to store and protect your passport between use.”
Image: ChameleonsEye / Shutterstock.com/ Reddit