A consumer expert has given her top advice on how to make your hard-earned cash stretch this holiday season.
Jane Hawkes, a UK-based customer service and travel expert, says there are a few simple things holiday goers can do to make sure they get value for money on their holiday.
She says you can save more money by being flexible, where possible.
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If you can be flexible about what time of the week and year you can jet off on, you will save a lot of cash, she says.
“Travelling off-peak will always save you money. Avoid school holidays if you can. Book midweek departures, as opposed to weekends. Unusual lengths of trips, like nine days, can also save you money.”
Booking a flight six weeks in advance, a cruise on a Thursday and a package holiday on a Monday will give you more bang for your buck, she adds.
Travellers should also research how much flights cost on their own, as it might be cheaper to book a package holiday with flights included. “You don’t have to make use of all the different components of a package holiday just because you’ve booked them. Even if you don’t use the accommodation or transfers, it could work out more economical, depending on where you are going.”
All-inclusive holidays could also work out cheaper than booking everything separately, especially in countries where the cost of food and entertainment are high, Jane says. Likewise, in countries with a lower cost of living, all-inclusive could work out far dearer. “You may also want to support local family-run businesses and restaurants by spending your money outside of a resort.”
Make sure you get travel insurance as soon as the holiday is booked, not a few days out from your trip. “You are covered from that point onwards, for example the airlines goes under, or you’ve received a serious medical diagnosis and want to cancel.”
She recommends reading the fine print, to make sure everything you want is covered.
Delays or cancellations
With a package or linked travel arrangement, you have certain rights and entitlements if there are any cancellations or delays.
In Ireland, flights are covered under EU law. When your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to one of the following:
A refund of the cost of your ticket within seven days
Rerouting to your final destination at the earliest opportunity
Rerouting at a later date at your convenience, subject to the availability of seats
You may also get compensation. For flights of 1,500 km or less, you can get €250, for flights over 1,500 km within the EU and other flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km you are entitled to €400. For all other flights, you could get €600 back.
As for package deals, Irish holidaymakers are also entitled to certain protections under an EU directive .
Jane says it is very important to be aware of your rights before leaving home.
Travel agents
While people often assume booking with a travel agent is more expensive than booking everything yourself, Jane says sometimes it is worth having the peace of mind. “They are the experts in post-pandemic travel. Your journey will probably be smoother than other people’s, as you won’t have to arrange transfers. If anything goes wrong they will sort it out.”
She adds that this summer, there have been airline strikes, weather warnings and civil unrest, which could impact people’s travel plans. “With a travel agent, you have one port of call.”
Jane shares more consumer and money-saving advice on her website.
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