The Passport Is the Last Great Analog Travel Experience


Skift Take

The paper and ink we carry with us across borders also holds a lot of other curiosities.

Colin Nagy, head of strategy at Fred & Farid, a global advertising agency, writes this opinion column for Skift on hospitality, innovation, and business travel. “On Experience” dissects customer-centric experiences and innovation across hospitality, aviation, and beyond.  In a world of digital devices and services that remove friction, the modern passport is a still curious and analog thing. A recent airport mishap made me think a bit about the little books of paper we carry around, and the ink we accumulate over time. Last week, I was boarding a flight to Copenhagen with a solid four months validity on my passport, after having procrastinated on a renewal. Evidently, Denmark chose to join the "six month club" according to a jovial CBP officer, and I was denied boarding. I managed to somehow keep my composure (barely) at the Delta check-in and sulked into