Why Your Passport Shouldn't Be in Your Carry-on.

The majority of travelers bring their passports to airport security and keep them with them until they reach the boarding gate.

However, many first-time flyers make the rookie error of stowing their passports in their carry-on baggage.

There is just one big issue with this method: On fully booked flights, airlines may require customers to check their luggage at the gate in an attempt to speed up the boarding procedure. Those with heavier baggage may be compelled to leave their bags at the gate to create room in the overhead compartments. Prior to the start of this year, cheap airline Ryanair made it mandatory for travelers with basic prices to check their bags at the gate in Europe.

When passengers forget to bring their passports with them, they end up being in problems at the destination.

Traveling by plane may be a stressful experience. Arriving late or forgetting to make a reservation may be easily remedied. Passport loss is a different matter entirely when you're in a foreign country.

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You'll remember the agony of phoning up the embassy and navigating the red tape necessary to catch your next flight without a passport for years to come.

Gate-checked baggage cannot always be returned to you at the destination gate at all airports. You may only be permitted to get your luggage at the baggage carousel, after customs, where you require a passport to proceed.

Passports are presumed to be secure in carry-on baggage by definition. After all, you'll be carrying your baggage on board the aircraft, where it will be available to you in the event that you need it.

These passengers are at the mercy of airline and airport personnel, as well as border control officials, in this scenario.

Keeping your passport close at hand is a good rule of thumb. Passports should never be kept in carry-on baggage.