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A dad who flew to Hungary to collect a passport because of ‘postal delays’ has criticised Royal Mail for offering him a book of stamps as compensation.
Atilla Cseke, from St Andrew’s in Scotland, spent £300 on the overnight trip when his daughter’s passport still hadn’t arrived ten days after it was posted from the Hungarian consulate in Edinburgh.
His son Mate’s passport was sent on the same day as Liah’s and arrived at their home two days later, on June 9, so Mr Cseke assumed hers had been lost.
The day after he cancelled Liah’s application and ordered a new passport the original one arrived but because of the cancellation was no longer valid.
Fearing the new one wouldn’t arrive in time for a planned family holiday in Gran Canaria on July 12 he booked the flight to Hungary for July 4 and asked Royal Mail for compensation.
However, he was shocked to learn all they could offer him was eight first class stamps, worth £7.60.
According to Mr Cseke, he was told he wouldn’t receive more because the passport did arrive in the end.
He said: ‘They are just not considering the human element of this at all. The whole thing was very distressing.
‘It was shocking to see how a big company can approach a situation like this.
‘I’ve worked in hospitality for years – it’s really important to remember you’re dealing with a person, not just a case number.
‘They said they’d followed the process, but I feel this just ridicules the customer.’
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The family holiday was particularly special because it was to mark Mr Cseke and his wife’s Anita’s 50th birthdays as well as their 15th wedding anniversary.
Mr Cseke explained: ‘We were in a very bad situation. No-one could see where the passport was.
‘The consulate said to cancel the passport and apply again, and said it would be quicker to collect it from Hungary.
‘It was a difficult decision but felt like the only thing to do.
‘It was an immense relief to get the passport but the stress, expense and time involved really hit us as a family.’
A Royal Mail spokesperson said: ‘We are sorry for the inconvenience the delay in the delivery of the passport undoubtedly caused the customer.
‘Their complaint was escalated to the Postal Review Panel which re-assessed the facts of the complaint and decided on the due compensation.
‘The customer has been provided with further details to appeal this decision.”
It’s understood Attila was initially offered a refund of postage.
But, upon review, it was decided the compensation should be the book of stamps.
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