Here’s how to avoid disaster when you travel

Are you planning a last-minute getaway to escape the recent run of terrible weather? Or maybe your thoughts are turning to booking a summer holiday? I’ve just finished filming the latest season of BBC1’s Rip Off Britain Holidays (out in April) and I’ve been struck by how many things can potentially go wrong with a trip abroad. However, there are ways to avoid holiday hell. Here’s my guide.

Passport problems

When did you last renew your passport? If you’ve not checked and you’re going away soon, do it right now. The news is full of stories about people who have been turned away at the boarding gates because they’ve fallen foul of a post-Brexit bureaucratic blip that means their passport has expired.

Don't overpack and you can save money on airline luggage fees (Picture: Adobe)

If you are travelling to the EU/Schengen area, your entry in to the destination country is based on your passport’s issue date, not its expiry date. Your expiry could be up to nine months later, but that no longer applies. So if your issue date is 01 August 2015, the passport expires 01 August 2025.

In order to be admitted to your destination country, you will also need to have a departure date at least three months before your passport expires. So if your password expires on 01 August 2025, you can’t book a holiday where you depart any later than 01 June 2025.

I’m also hearing reports about damaged passports being rejected too. If you’re not sure about yours, type “replace damaged passport” into a search drive and click on the Gov.uk site.

Travel insurance quirks

A good travel insurance policy is essential when travelling. Buy one as soon as you book the holiday but shop around for the best deal and watch out for a few of these quirks.

Most annual and single trip insurance policies only cover you for a maximum of 30 days for each holiday. You can extend this for a fee, for up to 90 days.

Watch when you leave luggage stored with a hotel when you check out. Should your bag be robbed or damaged while in the hotel’s storage space, your insurance policy is unlikely to cover you. That’s because letting the bag out of your sight is a breach of contract.

You may also want to think about whether you really need to take lots of expensive valuables with you. If you take a laptop, phone, tablet, smart watch and gaming system, you could be carting about £5,000 worth of property alone. So check the limits for valuables and for holiday cash.

If you’re planning adventures with even a hint of risk then take out adventure sports or winter sports cover. You’ll definitely need it if you’re going quad biking. Even off-road hikes and banana boat rides can be excluded with some of the cheaper policies.

Finally, check the “key facts” document so you know what the policy limits are, how soon you have to report incidents and the main exclusions. And save that emergency number for the insurer in your phone too.

Extra airline charges

Many airlines have started charging for cabin bags, as well as hold luggage and seat allocation. There’s also been major hikes for other essential components of your flight. Charges for luggage and seating can also increase the closer you get to departure, which makes comparisons impossible. When you book, assume you’ll have additional charges. Using my most recent flight booking as an example, I’d suggest you’ll need a hold bag. However, on average, you’re looking at £40-£50 each way, cabin bag £30-£50 each way and an allocated seat (£6-£25). That’s roughly £125 per flight or £250 for a return.

Currency

Two golden rules for spending abroad. Never buy or sell cash at the airport where you’ll get the worst rates. And always pay in the local currency on card machines to avoid extra fees. Bonnes vacances!

Martyn James is a leading consumer rights campaigner, TV and radio broadcaster and journalist. Read more from him at this link.