7 Air Travel Tips For a Trouble-Free Holiday
Lost baggage, flight delays, bumped from your flight? Unfortunately, air travel can sometimes be stressful and unexpected things can happen. If you’re planning on travelling during this busy season, follow these tips to help lower your stress:
- Call ahead if you have special requests. If you are carrying sports equipment or musical instruments, have dietary restrictions or special needs, you want to call the airline at least 48 hours in advance to make sure they can accommodate your requests.
- Make sure you have all your travel documents. It is your responsibility to have the proper documents to enter a foreign country and to return to Canada. Ensure you have the appropriate visas (if required) for the duration of your trip as soon as possible — ideally when you book your tickets. Ensure your passport remains valid for your trip. Expiration dates may vary. Contact your airline or your Consular office ahead of time.
- Double check your flight’s status. Confirm your flight in advance by checking your flight’s status at least a day before departure and again just before leaving for the airport.
- Know your airline’s baggage limits and fees. There are different limits for carry-on and checked baggage and possibly extra fees. You want to know what these are to avoid delays or costs at the airport.
- Pack smart. Always include your contact information and your destination contact information inside each piece of checked baggage. This helps identify baggage if any outside tag is damaged or lost. Always keep essential and valuable items with you on board, such as your passport, identification and return tickets, medicines and medical devices, money, jewellery, electronic equipment, and essential overnight items.
- Check in early. If available, check in online up to 24 hours in advance. This can help avoid problems with overbooking by the airline and you missing your flight.
- Read the fine print. When you buy your ticket from the airline, it comes with terms and conditions. Make sure you know what to expect if your flight is delayed, your luggage is lost, or you experience any other problems by reading your airline’s terms and conditions.
Bonus tip: If you do experience a problem while flying, you can file a complaint with the Canadian Transportation Agency. Their job is to help resolve complaints between passengers and airlines. Find more information online at cta.gc.ca/air-travel-complaints.
Source: News Canada