Travellers checklist

All you need to know before going on your travels

It has become increasingly important for holiday makers to be sure of local laws and customs before you travel; from things like appropriate dress code for the beach to public displays of affection. So before you set off on your well deserved break, do all you can to avoid unnecessary upset or worse. We recommend you check out the FCO’s know before you go campaign. This is an ongoing campaign, launched in 2001 with approximately 300 travel industry partners to help Brits to stay safe and healthy when abroad.

Do you always over spend when you go on holiday or dread checking your bank statements for all those extra foreign charges when you get home? Well, we may have found the answer for you! Thomson and First Choice have launched a pre-paid money card backed by Mastercard. The card can be electronically loaded with both Euro and US Dollars and used at over 28 million locations worldwide.

How will it benefit you?

• No overspending as the card will be preloaded with a fixed amount.
• A fixed exchange rate.
• Reduced risk from fraud as the card is not linked to a bank or credit card account.
• Valid for 3 years so unused funds can be kept on the card and used at a later date.
• No commission or purchase fees.
• Used at millions of retailers and ATM’s worldwide; where you find the Mastercard acceptance mark, you can use an online Mastercard ATM locater.
• No need to worry about the uncertainty of credit/debit card charges on your return home.
• Chip and pin protected; If lost or stolen contact the customer service team who will cancel the card and arrange to have the funds replaced.

If you decide this card would be ideal for you, visit your local Thomson/First Choice Bureau de Change or the First Choice website for more information.

Be sure to familiarise yourself with the currency of your holiday destination. A poll of 1000 people by American Express Global Foreign Exchange Services, has revealed that British travellers could be losing up to £975 million or £15 per person whilst abroad by mistakes with foreign currency. The research also revealed:

• Nearly 2/3rds spend more than budgeted when on holiday.
• 6% see the local currency as fake ‘monopoly’ money.
• 46% get confused with the currency conversion rate.
• 1/3rd believe they’re being left short-changed after shopping when abroad.

So, make sure you don’t get caught out too and get to know your local currency before your travel.

Airport and Travel changes (2009)

Luton airport £1.00 drop off charge

If you don’t want to use public transport make sure you’ve got some cash on you if you’re travelling from Luton this summer. To try and cope with the increasing number of arriving and departing passengers, Luton airport is trying to improve traffic flow and encourage more travellers to use their public transport links to and from the airport. Introduced on the 1st of July passengers will pay £1.00 for 10 minutes to drop off travellers.

Ryanair is working towards a totally online check in system

They hope to avoid time wasting queues and check-in desk delays. Since the 1st of May 2009 all new bookings will be required to use web check-in. The web check-in fee per person/per flight will be £5/€5 whereas those customers who wish to use airport check-in will be charged £10/€10 at the time of booking. Then from the 1st of October 2009 airport check-in desks will no longer be available at any Ryanair airport.