Travelling is fun, but people should pay attention to some important information before leaving home. COVID pandemic has shown us that bad things can really happen and you should know what are your options and your rights.

Booking and changes

When buying a ticket or booking an accommodation, get to know the conditions of such a booking and the conditions in which you could change it. For example, there are plane tickets that allow a reimbursement in case of cancellation, others that do not. If you want to change the name of the holder or the dates of the trip, you need to check if that is possible and which are the extra costs. Regarding accommodation, check other conditions like toiletries, Wi-Fi, complementary food and beverage as well as the cancellation policy.

Pay attention to what is included in the ticket/ accommodation. For example, low cost air tickets may not include airport taxes, airplane fuel and on-board food (hence, increasing the initial price). Regarding accommodation, you need to check if breakfast is included, for example, and, if not, how much it will cost as an extra.

If you are travelling with an agency, you should be provided with information about which institution will take your claim in case of conflict and in which conditions. In addition, you should also be informed who to turn to in case of insolvency of the agency.

Documentation and Regulations

Be informed about the documentation that is needed. For example, citizens of the European Union that live in a Schengen country and are travelling to another Schengen country do not need a visa, but they still need to have an identification card. On the other hand, each country has regulations related to health issues, customs, and airport information, which you should know. For example, do you need to be vaccinated against yellow fever?

The International Air Transport Association provides a service to obtain all this information. If you go to the IATA Travel Centre , you can choose your destination, fill in a questionnaire with your travel data, and then you will obtain information about the documentation you need (passport, visa), mandatory or recommended vaccinations, conditions for travelling with pets, currency exchange, etc.

Insurance

Insurance is mandatory, but few people actually know what that means and what it implies. The aim is for insurance to pay if something bad happens like your baggage gets stolen, you get sick, you need to be transported back to your country due to illness or, worst case scenario, you die. Please check all the conditions and maximum amount of payment.

At the airport

If your bag gets misplaced, lost, or damage, you should make a complaint at the airport. There should be a desk near the Baggage Claim for such a purpose. In case of lost baggage, you should be provided with a toiletries’ kit for your basic hygiene needs. Also, check your insurance to see what you are entitled to in this case.

Useful information

Besides the above, directly related to the travel itself, you should also collect local-related information like the time zone, the emergency number, and the address of the embassy or consulate of your country. You should also be informed about opening hours of retail and banks, and national holidays.