Last week, we looked into those costswhich you may not be aware of that can significantly add to the cost of yourannual holiday, particularly associated with booking your holiday, getting to theairport and other taxes. This week, we look at some of the other costs you may come across whengoing on holiday this summer, from currency charges to hotel charges.
Security isan aspect that we all know about, i.e. liquids and pastes in your hand luggageneed to be in transparent plastic bags. These regulations can easily be exploited by retailers situated withinairports. For example, retailers at Manchester airport charge £1 for two smallplastic bags! Solution: get a pack ofclear plastic bags Sainsbury’s and take them with you’ but make sure they areno bigger than 8in by 8in, or you may have to pay the £1 charge!
Changing your currency canbe a bit like ‘how long is a piece of string’ in terms of the charges fromvarious banks and other outlets that change currency for you. The Office of Fair Trading conducted aninvestigation last year and found that there was little transparency betweenbanks and dealers, so consumers have no idea whether they are getting a gooddeal or a bad deal. Since then, somebanks, particularly if you bank with them already, have dropped currency changecharges. However, be careful if you areusing your bank or credit card to pay for goods, food, etc. abroad as thecharges to change your currency on the card can be high. A Which Investigation found that for abottle of wine costing ’5.95 in a French supermarket can cost you anything from£5.03 to £6.67! Solution: well, youcan’t really get around these charges but it is recommended that you withdrawlocal currency if using a debit card, and pay for goods and services with acredit card.
Duty free shopping isnot all you think it is’ sometimes it isn’t cheaper than on the High Street,unless you need to buy something at the airport, check on the High Street firstand make sure you aren’t going to be paying more at the airport. Often, it is better to go prepared.
In-flight catering isan area where airlines now charge for in-flight meals and snacks, and it ishigh. EasyJet charges £7.60 for a smallcan of beer, a toasted sandwich and a small packet of pretzels. With some airlines and their flights, this couldbe as much as 20% of your air fare! Solution: take sandwiches or buy water/soft drinks before you board theflight.
Many of us going abroad hire cars butwatch out for the car hire charges as they can be particularly high,usually at the ruse of covering premium insurance payments. Many car hire companies also try to sell youextras, so be careful. You can’t reallyget around this so do your research before you book and travel.
And this is all before you’ve evenarrived at your destination! One thingyou can be sure of is Heathrow GatwickTransfers who will definitely not over-charge you. You can be sure that what they charge tocollect you from home and take you to the airport, or collect you from theairport, is very competitive, giving you complete peace of mind and allowingyou to enjoy your holiday from the outset.