Some travellers are wrapping their passports in aluminium foil before flights, a trend that is spreading online. Video posts and reports say the practice can interfere with airport checks, leading to delays at passport control.
Euronews reports that the behaviour is being adopted by holidaymakers who say the foil is meant to protect passports from “hackers” and unauthorised scanning. The coverage also notes that the trend is causing practical problems at airports, as officers may need to handle or verify documents that are covered or physically altered.
While outlets describe the foil-wrapping as a response to perceived digital threats, the overall reports focus more on how the practice affects travel operations than on confirming whether it prevents any specific form of attack. The key theme across the coverage is that passengers are changing how they present travel documents, and airport processes are being disrupted as a result.
