It is very important to enjoy yourself when on a trip, whether it be for business or pleasure and you must not be constantly thinking about what you should or should not be doing. Instead the tips below are meant purely as a guide, for you to take some points from and others to leave all together.
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Try to look as if you know where you are going, this may not be so easy if after all it is the first ever time in that country, but even still look confident as IF you know.
Carrying maps around looking perplexed, and stopping to look at monuments or buildings, obviously shows that you are from out of town, and may attract the wrong type of attention.
Using travellers cheques, will always be helpful, as will using a credit card for any purchases made so that you can take advantage of the additional insurance offered.
Do NOT pull large amounts of cash out of your pocket. This will catch attention, no matter what country you are in. It sounds so silly, but it is amazing how many people pull out a mound of cash to be some small item. We see it all the time in Thailand, and it always amazes us. There have been times when even we were tempted to follow the guy and........ rest assured we didn't !
Try to think about where you are going that day and carry sufficient cash for that and any unforeseen extras, plus a card. That should cover all you need and will limit any losses if anything did happen.
Do NOT accept drinks from anybody that you have just met, especially if in dubious surroundings or do not know, they could be laced with any type of concoction.
Try not to go on "wonderful trips" or to a "super shopping centre" rides with people who approach you in the street. This could lead anywhere, and will probably cost you a lot more than by taking a normal taxi. Ask your concierge or read through this site.
Check on your first day whether you need to reconfirm your next flight, if so do it then. Some airlines do not require this anymore but it is still worthwhile calling them so that they at least have your contact details, in case the flight is delayed or whatever.
Do not carry your passport around, leave it in the safe in your hotel. A photocopy will suffice if local law states that you need to.
Showing posts with label Travel Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travel Tips. Show all posts
Travel Tips :Cut The Stress Out of Frequent Travel
According to a World Bank study and Hyatt Hotel survey, insurance claims for health problems tend to increase among employees who travel often. In fact, employees who travel overseas are twice as likely to file health claims for psychological problems (male travellers are 80% and female travelling executives are 18% more likely to file such claims).Corporate travellers are up to three times as likely to suffer psychological disorders than their non-travelling colleagues, finds a study published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine. The more business trips that are taken, the greater is the likelihood of a person making a medical claim.The dramatic and sudden changes in climate, daily routine and sleep pattern, as well as unfamiliar cultures, high intensity workload and separation from loved ones are likely to compound the physical and mental stress of travel. Here are some areas that you can watch out for to control your stress levels.Pack A DealDon't deal with packing, rather, just stay packed. Instead of having to deal with the stress of last minute or constant packing, try to keep a travel case that is always ready. I used to wait until the last minute to pack and I always forgot something important.Then one day in Moldova, the thought hit me that I always repack the same clothes. When I arrived home, I went to the Internet and did a search under "travel clothes". I am now the proud owner of five travel certified wrinkle resistance shirts (three dress, two informal), three travel pants (with all kinds of hidden pockets) and a really amazing sports coat that can double as a pillow without wrinkling.Here's the clincher: I make my boss pay for my laundry! When I use the hotel laundry, my clothes are packed so nicely with little pieces of cardboard and in a plastic bag. So this is what I do: At the end of the trip, I have one set of dirty clothes that I put in a plastic bag and place back in the suitcase. On the next trip, this goes into the hotel laundry. Voila! No more packing, I just set the suitcase aside for the next trip.Take It SlowI was the sort of flyer who would always try to get that last thing done at the office and then rush to the airport worried that I might miss the plane. The enlightening moment, in this case, was at the Jan Smuts Airport in Johannesburg.I clearly remembered saying to myself that I hate this (travelling). My next thought was that I am going to have to somehow change my attitude or I will be spending half my life stressed out and hating what I do. I went to the Business Class lounge, cancelled my flight that was leaving in 15 minutes and rebooked for the next flight leaving in three hours. I then went to the bookstore and got a good read. Going back to the lounge, I got a gin and tonic and life has never been the same since. I now look forward to the airport.Waiting for the plane is now a special time for me. This is my time to relax and adjust to the transition from office to road trip. One well-known way of dealing effectively with stress is to slow down, which is the technique here. Try moving, talking and behaving in a more relaxed, slower manner during your next trip to the airport and see if it actually allows some of your stress to ebb away.Reward YourselfTake a break and reward yourself. Sure you're on a working trip but often close by to your destination are some wonderfully exotic and exciting things to see or do. I was recently on a trip to Pakistan where I was dealing with the post traumatic stress of witnessing a beheading (that sure was stressful!).Close by were some of the most impressive ruins in the world from the Indus River Culture. I got up at 5.30 am, hired a driver from the hotel, had a wonderful time and made it back for the 10 am meeting. When I think of that trip now, the memory is of the country's wonderful and ancient culture. On a trip to Paris a few years ago, I went and saw the Mona Lisa for 10 short minutes, which was all I had. I just sat and admired her.Reward yourself by engaging in something pleasurable and you will decrease stress and realise a boost in the disease-fighting quality of your immune system for several days. By the way, I gave up planning ahead of time what to see or do as I found this too stressful.Stay In TouchOn a recent trip, my teenager's response to my call home was to scream to another sibling, "It's just Dad again, calling from some place in Antarctica I think. He said you have to talk to him." What a warm wonderful feeling for Dad to know he has absolutely normal teenagers even if they don't want to talk.This brings me to the fourth strategy: stay in touch with home. Phone calls or even e-mail can give you a fun break from the 24-hour demands of business travel and it reassures both you and your loved ones that you are still a family, no matter how many miles separate you. It can also reduce the stress of readjusting to home life after the trip is over.There is nothing more relaxing than asking the kids how they did in the track meet or what they did over the weekend. By the way, never ask how your kids performed in their exams. From my experience, this is not relaxing.It is now less expensive from many locations overseas to make international calls but whatever the price, I just consider it as one of the costs of having a job with a lot of travel involved.Eat RightWhat you eat can promote or relieve stress, and help or hinder the body in how it handles the physical stress response. Stay healthy and stress-resistant by taking time out for good meals. When I travel, I find eating to be one of the most enjoyable parts of travel. I focus on the four basic food groups: Tex-Mex, Asian, Continental and Middle Eastern. If you are stressed out and need a break from anxiety, try asking those around you to recommend a great place to eat.Get Some SleepI have found that the frequent traveller's best friend is a set of soft earplugs, neck pillow and eye covers. Lack of adequate sleep can make you moody, angry and more vulnerable to illness and stress.Work That BodyEveryone knows that physical activity is one of the most effective stress-management techniques around. When things do not go exactly as they should, you may be tempted to skip your workout because you're feeling stressed.If this happens, remind yourself that exercise will help relieve those feelings of stress and improve your problem-solving ability so that you can cope better with the inevitable challenges and opportunities of travel.To work away your tension and fortify yourself against the negative physical effects of travel stress, try taking a walk. My most vivid memory of Moscow is a cool crisp 40-minute walk early in the morning to Red Square. A good swim in the hotel pool is also a very effective way to get in some exercise.Take NotesWriting down your feelings in a diary may help relieve stress. I find writing about what I have seen and experienced to be an effective way to demonstrate to myself the wonderful aspects of travel. This is what I recently wrote on one of my many "field trips". "I felt as though I had been plumped upon another planet or into another geologic horizon of which man had no knowledge or memory." - Richard Evelyn Byrd. Flying down the Antarctica Peninsula, there are towering mountains that rise abruptly out of the sea shrouded with thick glaciers. The sea is alive with icebergs of fanciful shape and impossible hue floating on glossy waters, like rough-cut diamonds scattered by a giant unseen hand. Antarctica's ethereal landscape shimmers with a savage beauty and raw power that exceeded the expectations of even a jaded traveller like me.A study done at John Hopkins eight years ago showed that people who wrote down some of their adventures, be they positive or negative experiences, showed improved mental health and were better able to cope with travel stress.The Best MedicineLaughter is one of the healthiest antidotes to stress. When we laugh or even smile, blood flow to the brain is increased, endorphins (painkilling hormones that give us a sense of well being) are released, and levels of stress hormones drop.Establish Travel RitualsPeople who have high stress in their lives tend to live in an environment without ritual, surrounded by mental and physical chaos. Travel removes one from a lot of the established rituals of life. The nine examples given above are, by and large, rituals I have established for myself in a travel environment.Establishing rituals can help prevent and reduce stress by saving time. It can be a comfort factor in times of stress, when predictability and certainty reassure us that no matter how bad conditions get, some things remain constant
Travel tips : Getting An Upgrade To Business Class
Travelling comes in all shapes sizes and forms. We all have different tastes, some of us prefer small personalised hotels, others large and gold gilded hotels, others all inclusive and the list goes on. One thing that must be a constant though, comes in the form of air travel - we all enjoy being upgraded.
Whether you normally travel in economy, or business class, it is always something that comes as a pleasurable surprise when we learn that we have been upgraded, at no cost to ourselves.
Although pleasurable, and not something that most of us would turn down, upgrades can be a rather damaging thing. If you normally travel in economy class, due to the price of the ticket, then an upgrade to business will open your eyes to a new world that can very easily damage your view and enjoyment of travelling back in "coach". The same applies to a certain extent from business to first. We have heard many a frequent traveller praise the airline for upgrading them and then admit ' I wish they hadn't as it is going to be so difficult to fly again in the back of the bus.....'
Of course this is what the airlines are hoping for, they are hoping that the upgrade they have given to you, will convert an economy class traveller to business and business to first. The upgrades are also used as a loyalty bonus and a way to say thank you for your business, or if you want the truth - a way to get the airlines out of a spot of trouble because of over booking.
Most airlines upgrade passengers because they overbook their flights. This happens because the airlines have to count into their figures a certain amount of cancellations and a few no shows, when the passengers do turn up then the airline needs space, especially at the back of the plane and this is when the upgrading begins.
The first thing you need to do is join the airlines frequent flyer programme. Almost every airline in the world has its own frequent flyer programme, and to make our lives as complicated as possible they are all different! Not to make things any simpler these programmes then fall into different world alliances that include many different airlines each, such as the largest, Star Alliance and the more recent One World (as this topic is so large we will cover it on a different page, in the airline section).
Joining the club is free and normally will mean points for each mile of travel earned, and lots of other bonuses that can be used towards free flights and other goodies. Regarding upgrades, then the holders of the airlines frequent flyer club will have priority. That is to say if the airline needs to upgrade, then they will check who is a member and then upgrade them subject to their status. So if you are the only member on the plane, you stand a very good chance of turning left rather than right upon boarding.
The complication to this rule is in the status of the membership, most clubs have different membership levels, and obviously the higher your status the more priority you have.
If you are fortunate to be of the higher membership level, then there are a few little tricks to help you get upgraded. These tricks do not always work, and may even have a little risk attached, but are worth a try and are probably the best shot you have of being upgraded. If when you book your flight ask the airline if the flight is busy, if you can get onto the busiest flight or even ask to be waitlisted and you do manage to get onto that plane then there is a very good chance that you will be upgraded, for the reasons mentioned earlier. This also means however that if you are not upgraded then you will end up on a very busy plane !
The search for an upgrade does not stop here, however. Whether you are a member or not it is worthwhile being nice to the person who checks you in, they may not (and normally do not) have the authority to upgrade at their own discretion but the check-in staff can help. Ask the staff to put a message in the system that if there is to be any upgrades you would really appreciate being included.
At this stage of the flight (check-in) it does help to be dressed suitably although not as helpful as most people would have you believe. There have been many reports on how to get upgraded and a lot do stress the importance of your appearance, it is not half as important as being a member of the club or even just being nice to the man or lady at check in, but does help.
First and Business class has improved enormously over the past few years. Virgin offers massages in flight and is introducing double beds to its Upper Class cabin, All Nippon Airways has two work stations on some of its' flights that allows you to sit at a desk and work on your lap top using a special electric supply, Singapore Airlines has a full bed in its first class cabin that has a 17 inch television with remote to give you a real media experience in-flight, and the list goes on an on.
At the end of the day getting upgraded is not an easy thing to achieve, however joining the frequent flyer programme will definitely help and will offer you a whole world of other benefits. Good Luck !
Whether you normally travel in economy, or business class, it is always something that comes as a pleasurable surprise when we learn that we have been upgraded, at no cost to ourselves.
Although pleasurable, and not something that most of us would turn down, upgrades can be a rather damaging thing. If you normally travel in economy class, due to the price of the ticket, then an upgrade to business will open your eyes to a new world that can very easily damage your view and enjoyment of travelling back in "coach". The same applies to a certain extent from business to first. We have heard many a frequent traveller praise the airline for upgrading them and then admit ' I wish they hadn't as it is going to be so difficult to fly again in the back of the bus.....'
Of course this is what the airlines are hoping for, they are hoping that the upgrade they have given to you, will convert an economy class traveller to business and business to first. The upgrades are also used as a loyalty bonus and a way to say thank you for your business, or if you want the truth - a way to get the airlines out of a spot of trouble because of over booking.
Most airlines upgrade passengers because they overbook their flights. This happens because the airlines have to count into their figures a certain amount of cancellations and a few no shows, when the passengers do turn up then the airline needs space, especially at the back of the plane and this is when the upgrading begins.
The first thing you need to do is join the airlines frequent flyer programme. Almost every airline in the world has its own frequent flyer programme, and to make our lives as complicated as possible they are all different! Not to make things any simpler these programmes then fall into different world alliances that include many different airlines each, such as the largest, Star Alliance and the more recent One World (as this topic is so large we will cover it on a different page, in the airline section).
Joining the club is free and normally will mean points for each mile of travel earned, and lots of other bonuses that can be used towards free flights and other goodies. Regarding upgrades, then the holders of the airlines frequent flyer club will have priority. That is to say if the airline needs to upgrade, then they will check who is a member and then upgrade them subject to their status. So if you are the only member on the plane, you stand a very good chance of turning left rather than right upon boarding.
The complication to this rule is in the status of the membership, most clubs have different membership levels, and obviously the higher your status the more priority you have.
If you are fortunate to be of the higher membership level, then there are a few little tricks to help you get upgraded. These tricks do not always work, and may even have a little risk attached, but are worth a try and are probably the best shot you have of being upgraded. If when you book your flight ask the airline if the flight is busy, if you can get onto the busiest flight or even ask to be waitlisted and you do manage to get onto that plane then there is a very good chance that you will be upgraded, for the reasons mentioned earlier. This also means however that if you are not upgraded then you will end up on a very busy plane !
The search for an upgrade does not stop here, however. Whether you are a member or not it is worthwhile being nice to the person who checks you in, they may not (and normally do not) have the authority to upgrade at their own discretion but the check-in staff can help. Ask the staff to put a message in the system that if there is to be any upgrades you would really appreciate being included.
At this stage of the flight (check-in) it does help to be dressed suitably although not as helpful as most people would have you believe. There have been many reports on how to get upgraded and a lot do stress the importance of your appearance, it is not half as important as being a member of the club or even just being nice to the man or lady at check in, but does help.
First and Business class has improved enormously over the past few years. Virgin offers massages in flight and is introducing double beds to its Upper Class cabin, All Nippon Airways has two work stations on some of its' flights that allows you to sit at a desk and work on your lap top using a special electric supply, Singapore Airlines has a full bed in its first class cabin that has a 17 inch television with remote to give you a real media experience in-flight, and the list goes on an on.
At the end of the day getting upgraded is not an easy thing to achieve, however joining the frequent flyer programme will definitely help and will offer you a whole world of other benefits. Good Luck !
Travel tips : Culture Shock
I have traveled to a few countries that knowing the local culture in advance will help a lot and the followin an article from the internet that hope will help you guys out there.
Culture Shock is not something that people generally get on a holiday but as soon as your boss calls you into the office and says "Hi John, we value you so much we want you to head our Hong Kong operations !" you really need to start thinking about the implications and how you are going to avoid this condition. It is not so much as a life threatening disease, but it can lead to some very serious problems if you do not take a few precautions.
Culture shock is definitely a serious condition that needs to be watched, and checked upon. I personally have suffered from it on numerous occasions and yes sleep deprivation, mood swings, and depression are all in there.
Travelling to a new destination with unusual habits and traditions can be a very traumatic experience, a little research before you leave will help tremendously but the most important thing is to actually leave with an open mind. A lot of people fly off without any research and expect things to be done in exactly the same way and at the same speed as they were at home, well this just isn't going to happen, and it is very important to try to understand the culture religion and people of the country that you are travelling to.
The culture shock selection of books are a very good starting place, but one that you will not really understand fully until you are actually in the country mingling with the locals. One interesting point of this can be found in the book Culture Shock Thailand (check our book reviews here), Thai people are among the nicest people in the world but it is a very different world from let's say the UK. The book explains a good deal about Thai culture and traditions and it explains how Thais smile their way out of an embarrassing situation and look down on those that don't. The book then puts this into a couple of different examples, to try to ensure that the reader understands. One such example is that if you are walking down the street and someone throws dirty water over you from a doorway, you should smile at the person that did this, showing your forgiveness, this should help clear the air and the person will most likely go out of there way to help you clean up, imagine this happening in London ! Thais shy away from confrontation, and this is one of the many aspects that make them such a happy and kind nation.
If as an expatriate you are moving to a country with severe Culture Shock such as perhaps Cambodia, or Vietnam, then even more research would be needed. Nowadays you can do a lot more research than was ever possible with the growth of the internet. You can see pictures of pretty much every destination in the world and even read restaurant, hotel and bar reviews without having even left your office. It is also advisable to stay away from a lot of the other expats especially before you leave and for while after you arrive in the destination, a lot of expats can be very negative about a country, even though they continue to stay there and this is not something that you need when you have just travelled half way around the world. Instead leave with an open mind and make your own judgements about the place after you have started to understand it a little.
One of the biggest causes though of Culture Shock is language. It will make an enormous amount of difference to you if you learn a little or as much as possible of the local language before you leave. Take up classes and practice it as much as you can; if you are studying Thai, eat out at Thai restaurants and try to practice your Thai. This small step will make your life a lot simpler and will also give you immediate respect when you arrive in the foreign country, not to mention open many new doors. If you show an interest in the other persons language and culture they will show an interest in you.
If you are being relocated by your company try to find out a little about the living conditions in that country and the package that the company offers you. Will they supply you with hotel accommodation or will you be straight into an appartment or house ? Are you given a housing allowance and allowed to choose the accomodation yourself ? Will the company pay the deposits that the landlord requires etc. ? Will you have maids ? What about a car ? How many return trips will you have a year to your home country ? Will they be in economy or business class ? What about your family rights - the wife - the husband - the children ? How long is the posting for ? Will the company pay for repatriation due to illness, or unemployment ? Do they have limits to the amount of furniture that you can send over but most importantly bring back ? Will they cover these charges ? Do they have any restrictions as to how you send these things ? Do they offer you insurance that is suitable for the country that you are travelling to ?
So now that you have read up on the country, searched millions of web pages, have learnt a little of the language, and are happy with the package that the company is offering you, you are ready to leave.
When you arrive it is important to fit in, get a feel for the place, the smells, the sounds. I would suggest just walking for a day or two experiencing the mystique of the new land you have just discovered. After a while when you are feeling a little more at home join a club, and make friends socially outside of your regular work patterns, and try to meet and befriend as many locals a you can, so that you will really get a deeper understanding of where you and most probably appreciate the differences in culture a lot more.
Culture Shock basically comes from a lack of understanding and built up anxiety, and can be caused by the most minute things, building up. One time in Hong Kong a colleague seemed to be literally screaming at the waitress in Cantonese, I was very anxious and asked what was wrong, my colleague looked very confused as to why I was asking the question and she simply replied that she was ordering some water !
All in all every expat has had his or her bad days, and there are times you just want to get on a plane and fly back, however these days are minimal compared to the fun, and amazing discoveries that you will make. Once you are bitten by the spirit and feeling of adventure you are about to embark on, you will have more difficulty believe it or not, returning "home" than you imagined especially the longer you stay away.
Culture Shock is not something that people generally get on a holiday but as soon as your boss calls you into the office and says "Hi John, we value you so much we want you to head our Hong Kong operations !" you really need to start thinking about the implications and how you are going to avoid this condition. It is not so much as a life threatening disease, but it can lead to some very serious problems if you do not take a few precautions.
Culture shock is definitely a serious condition that needs to be watched, and checked upon. I personally have suffered from it on numerous occasions and yes sleep deprivation, mood swings, and depression are all in there.
Travelling to a new destination with unusual habits and traditions can be a very traumatic experience, a little research before you leave will help tremendously but the most important thing is to actually leave with an open mind. A lot of people fly off without any research and expect things to be done in exactly the same way and at the same speed as they were at home, well this just isn't going to happen, and it is very important to try to understand the culture religion and people of the country that you are travelling to.
The culture shock selection of books are a very good starting place, but one that you will not really understand fully until you are actually in the country mingling with the locals. One interesting point of this can be found in the book Culture Shock Thailand (check our book reviews here), Thai people are among the nicest people in the world but it is a very different world from let's say the UK. The book explains a good deal about Thai culture and traditions and it explains how Thais smile their way out of an embarrassing situation and look down on those that don't. The book then puts this into a couple of different examples, to try to ensure that the reader understands. One such example is that if you are walking down the street and someone throws dirty water over you from a doorway, you should smile at the person that did this, showing your forgiveness, this should help clear the air and the person will most likely go out of there way to help you clean up, imagine this happening in London ! Thais shy away from confrontation, and this is one of the many aspects that make them such a happy and kind nation.
If as an expatriate you are moving to a country with severe Culture Shock such as perhaps Cambodia, or Vietnam, then even more research would be needed. Nowadays you can do a lot more research than was ever possible with the growth of the internet. You can see pictures of pretty much every destination in the world and even read restaurant, hotel and bar reviews without having even left your office. It is also advisable to stay away from a lot of the other expats especially before you leave and for while after you arrive in the destination, a lot of expats can be very negative about a country, even though they continue to stay there and this is not something that you need when you have just travelled half way around the world. Instead leave with an open mind and make your own judgements about the place after you have started to understand it a little.
One of the biggest causes though of Culture Shock is language. It will make an enormous amount of difference to you if you learn a little or as much as possible of the local language before you leave. Take up classes and practice it as much as you can; if you are studying Thai, eat out at Thai restaurants and try to practice your Thai. This small step will make your life a lot simpler and will also give you immediate respect when you arrive in the foreign country, not to mention open many new doors. If you show an interest in the other persons language and culture they will show an interest in you.
If you are being relocated by your company try to find out a little about the living conditions in that country and the package that the company offers you. Will they supply you with hotel accommodation or will you be straight into an appartment or house ? Are you given a housing allowance and allowed to choose the accomodation yourself ? Will the company pay the deposits that the landlord requires etc. ? Will you have maids ? What about a car ? How many return trips will you have a year to your home country ? Will they be in economy or business class ? What about your family rights - the wife - the husband - the children ? How long is the posting for ? Will the company pay for repatriation due to illness, or unemployment ? Do they have limits to the amount of furniture that you can send over but most importantly bring back ? Will they cover these charges ? Do they have any restrictions as to how you send these things ? Do they offer you insurance that is suitable for the country that you are travelling to ?
So now that you have read up on the country, searched millions of web pages, have learnt a little of the language, and are happy with the package that the company is offering you, you are ready to leave.
When you arrive it is important to fit in, get a feel for the place, the smells, the sounds. I would suggest just walking for a day or two experiencing the mystique of the new land you have just discovered. After a while when you are feeling a little more at home join a club, and make friends socially outside of your regular work patterns, and try to meet and befriend as many locals a you can, so that you will really get a deeper understanding of where you and most probably appreciate the differences in culture a lot more.
Culture Shock basically comes from a lack of understanding and built up anxiety, and can be caused by the most minute things, building up. One time in Hong Kong a colleague seemed to be literally screaming at the waitress in Cantonese, I was very anxious and asked what was wrong, my colleague looked very confused as to why I was asking the question and she simply replied that she was ordering some water !
All in all every expat has had his or her bad days, and there are times you just want to get on a plane and fly back, however these days are minimal compared to the fun, and amazing discoveries that you will make. Once you are bitten by the spirit and feeling of adventure you are about to embark on, you will have more difficulty believe it or not, returning "home" than you imagined especially the longer you stay away.
Planning Your Trip - Guide to travel
When planning your trip, make sure that you find out about the wet and dry seasons, or other possible weather conditions that may affect your holiday. If you are using a travel agent then make sure that you ask about this, even though they should tell you.
· Ask your agent, or other sources to find out whether the hotel or even the destination has any work going on. Again the agent should tell you, however he/she may have over looked the hotel that is being built right next door.
· If you are travelling to an area that may be considered a 'hot zone' (possibly dangerous) then check with your insurance company to verify whether you will be covered in case something goes wrong. If they do not, and you still want to travel, then find one that will.
· If your itinerary may change, ensure that there are absolutely no charges if you do change the dates or times of flights. Ask your agent to fully explain the restrictions that may appear, on your ticket, to ensure that they meet with your needs.
· If you are flying with one of the alliances, such as Star or One World. Just verify with your agent what plane is going to be used. They should tell you, but it is surprising how often you will see people complaining that they expected to be on a Singapore Airline plane, not the Lufthansa one that they find themselves on. This is the result of the code share agreements that the airlines are using.
· If money is valuable and if you are buying a plane ticket on a certain airline and have been told that due to these code sharing agreements you will actually be flying on another airline. Then call around or check if you can buy any cheaper tickets on the actual airline that you will be flying. Believe it or not code share does not mean price share and you may be able to find much cheaper.
· It is recommended to buy your holiday using a credit card. This gives you the comfort of official records, and also additional insurance that comes with the card. One of the best for travel is American Express, where you can also transfer your points to your frequent flier programme
· Ask your agent, or other sources to find out whether the hotel or even the destination has any work going on. Again the agent should tell you, however he/she may have over looked the hotel that is being built right next door.
· If you are travelling to an area that may be considered a 'hot zone' (possibly dangerous) then check with your insurance company to verify whether you will be covered in case something goes wrong. If they do not, and you still want to travel, then find one that will.
· If your itinerary may change, ensure that there are absolutely no charges if you do change the dates or times of flights. Ask your agent to fully explain the restrictions that may appear, on your ticket, to ensure that they meet with your needs.
· If you are flying with one of the alliances, such as Star or One World. Just verify with your agent what plane is going to be used. They should tell you, but it is surprising how often you will see people complaining that they expected to be on a Singapore Airline plane, not the Lufthansa one that they find themselves on. This is the result of the code share agreements that the airlines are using.
· If money is valuable and if you are buying a plane ticket on a certain airline and have been told that due to these code sharing agreements you will actually be flying on another airline. Then call around or check if you can buy any cheaper tickets on the actual airline that you will be flying. Believe it or not code share does not mean price share and you may be able to find much cheaper.
· It is recommended to buy your holiday using a credit card. This gives you the comfort of official records, and also additional insurance that comes with the card. One of the best for travel is American Express, where you can also transfer your points to your frequent flier programme
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