Sue’s Guide To Avoiding Costly Holiday Nightmares
Ever had dreams of arriving at the airport minus passport or breaking down on the way? Here’s how to get sorted before take-off.
It may sound obvious, but check you have your passport and that it’s still valid. Some countries insist you have at least six months left and some insist on blank pages too. Check the rules, along with any visas needed for the country you’re visiting, atwww. GOV.UK/FOREIGN-TRAVEL-ADVICE. You won’t lose out renewing your passport early, as you can carry over up to nine months. In an emergency you can get a passport within 24 hours but it’s costly at £128 for the one-day service compared with the standard £72.50.
Check you have travel insurance and your EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) is valid, as they only last five years. Get a free replacement at WWW.NHS.UK.
Booking airport parking in advance saves up to 60% compared with pay on the day rates and you can shop around on sites like WWW.TRAVELSUPERMARKET.COM or WWW.HOLIDAYEXTRAS.CO.UK. Or book a space on a private drive or garage through WWW.JUSTPARK.COM. I did this at Gatwick, to avoid hunting for the car late at night!
If you’re travelling by train, book tickets in advance. Speedy airport connections like the Heathrow Express can be pricey but you can now buy advance tickets from £5.50.
If you’re driving to the airport check you have breakdown cover – including onward travel for a lift there if your car packs up on the way!