Master Your Trip

Booking Traps

1. Waiting for lower flight costs? Flight ticket prices change very quickly, and even airlines cannot predict whether prices will rise or fall (it's all handled by complicated computers). So stay calm. When you see a price you can handle, buy the ticket and don't look back. But if you have to wait, use a service like Yapta that uses the difference in ticket prices.
2. Will you be booking for miles or points? Ads and forums encourage you to focus on choosing a destination, hotel, or airline to collect the most points and miles. But these often do not benefit either you, the traveler, or the hotel or airline. Don't drown in it. Forget membership cards and take advantage of debit card offers that give you points or miles for every dollar you spend.
3. Booked twice? Double whammy: You're booking online and your browser has stopped working, or so you think. The reservation process may still be ongoing and when you press the "confirm" button, you may have made the same reservation twice. Good news: You usually have 24 hours to cancel. Bad news? You may realize your double booking later than necessary. If your browser stops working during the reservation, please call the helpline and wait 24 hours before booking again.
4. Are you lost between options? The “low price guarantee” often comes with a lot of annoying little details. Same goes for “bids” (many people overpay). And always browse everywhere - shops, online travel agencies (Orbitz, Expadia) - until you find the best price, and don't go all out.

Hotel Disappointments

1. Is your reservation not visible? Don't make a new reservation, at least not yet. Call the hotel or your agency. If they cannot find your reservation, they will have to make up for it with a new one without any additional charge. If you are still charged for the first room, contact the intermediary company immediately to deposit the fee to your credit card.
2. Is the hotel pool disabled? It is possible to get compensation for your room. Ask the reception politely whether there will be compensation for this service that was promised but not delivered, but it is still useful to be realistic; That's why they won't reset your ticket. At least you're likely to get a free breakfast.
3. Noisy neighbors? Call the hotel switchboard or complain about decibel levels at the front desk in person. If they cannot rectify the situation, request that your room be changed. If you have to, contact the manager. Worst case scenario, check out of the hotel and request a refund.
4. Room without view? If your room does not correspond to the room you paid for, request a room change. If there are not enough rooms in the hotel, request to be upgraded to a higher class room or to have your reservation transferred to an equivalent hotel without paying an additional fee.

Unpleasant Weather

1. Don't have a ticket or has your journey been changed? Call your travel agent or your airline immediately if you purchased without an intermediary. You should not be charged for changing your route. Do not buy a new ticket, strange thing is they may not give a refund.
2. Has your flight been cancelled? Line up to check in, but also call your airline or try to make a reservation online. You can usually get it done before it's your turn. It is worth remembering that the airline does not assume responsibility for flights delayed or canceled due to weather conditions, but if there is a technical malfunction, they will accommodate you in a hotel.
3. Is your seat number not visible? If the gate agent is unable to resolve the situation, consult one of the flight attendants after boarding. Politely. The sooner your request is entered into the system, the sooner you will get your seat.
4. Have you come across a reservation outside the seating capacity? Don't volunteer unless you want to. Expect to be thrown off the plane, they will compensate you for the losses in terms of meals and accommodation. You cannot benefit from these when you volunteer and get off, but if the staff has to take someone down, they have to offer compensation.
5. Lost your luggage? Don't think that just because your suitcase doesn't come off the conveyor belt, it's lost forever. Airlines claim that lost luggage usually reaches its owner, with only 2% never making it home. File a lost baggage claim with the airline office immediately (you may have as little as 4 hours to report it). You can also get a tracking number or some money for clothes and personal cleaning products that will temporarily cover the damage. If your luggage is found, the airline must deliver it to you at a time convenient for you. If your luggage does not appear, keep the documents to report your complaint to the relevant authorities and review the Montreal Agreement to ensure that your rights are not violated.

When it comes to cars

1. No small car? If they do not have a car in the class you have booked, it is generally among the companies' policies to provide a car from a higher class without any additional charge. The rental agency may insist that you buy a higher model or may direct you to wait for an unnecessarily long time. Do not be fooled, insist on the vehicle model you want or request that they give you a higher model free of charge. You can get safe car rental service on Bilet.com.
2. Have you been charged for extras? Read your receipt carefully. If there is something you don't know, talk to one of the managers. This becomes quite difficult to fix after a breakup. When renting, be careful what you mark and include in the price.
3. Mechanical difficulties? If a rented car gets a flat tire, call the company you rented from immediately. The company is obliged to transport you and the broken car back to the place you rented it and replace the wheels and provide new ones. You should also document the fault so they don't accuse you of breaking the car.
4. Did you stop at the border? Procedures can slow you down. Have your IDs ready; for children traveling with only one parent, you may need to present a note from the other parent. And control yourself, the place to complain about the procedures is either in writing to the parliament or at the ballot box.