Dealing with Major Travel Headaches

As much as people are encouraged to travel via a plentifulsupply of cheap travel optionssuch as cheap airplanetickets, cheapfares, cheapdeals, discounthotel rooms, cheap auto rentals, discounttravel deals, and cheap vacation packages, travelnightmares caused by missed connections, lost reservations, and credit cardsnafus, make some pause before making future travel plans.

In many cases, the steps you take before you depart for atrip will go a long way in determining how serious a travel problem you mayface. The following are common sensetips on how to best deal with travel mishaps, according to Budget Travel:

• If youarrive at your destination hotel only to be told that it has no record of yourreservation, remember to be nice in dealing with front desk personnel. Always carry a printed confirmation of yourreservation. If your hotel isoverbooked, ask what accommodations are available in nearby affiliatedhotels.

  To almost guarantee you will never have todeal with this problem again call any hotel you are planning to stay at acouple of days before arriving to confirm your reservation. Also make a point of letting your hotel knowif you are going to arrive late to ensure that the hotel does not give yourroom away.

• The besttime to deal with a lost wallet is before you actually lose it. Before departing for a trip order a backupATM card, print out a list of all of your bank and credit card accounts, andmake a Xerox of your passport, if traveling overseas. Never carry these items in the same bag asyour wallet.

• If youwill be renting a car abroad, ask your rental agency in advance what you shoulddo in the event of an accident. Alsocheck with your home auto insurance company and credit card to determine if youcovered for an overseas rental car. Frequentlycoverage does not extend to rentals made abroad. Make a point of learning local customs andrules of the road. In the event of anaccident, call your rental agency, file a police report, and get the insuranceinformation of anyone else involved in the accident.

• Keep acopy of your passport and your drivers license or state ID separate from yourpassport when you travel.

• Makecertain you understand your medical coverage when you are overseas and, ifneeded, investigate emergency travel insurance. If you are injured or become sick, your hotel and/or local consulate orembassy are good places to request doctor recommendations. It is smart to pack a modest first aid kit.

• Dealingwith lost luggage can be a pain. Giventhat over two million bags are lost, damaged, or stolen annually, this is anall too common problem. To improve theodds of your bag eventually making its way back to you, write your name and addressnot only on an outside tag but also inside your bag. Leave a copy of your itinerary inside yourbag. Arrive early at the airport and if checkingyour bag, do so at an airlines desk not at the curb.

• If youever cannot find your child, remain calm and enlist the help of qualifiedauthorities immediately. Police or themepark security have dealt with missing kids before and will be understanding andhelpful. Before leaving your hotel giveyour child an ID card that includes your mobile phone number. Also tell your kids that if they get lostthat police and security personnel can help find you.

• The mostcommon reasons people get arrested in foreign countries are drugs, illegalpossession of an antiquity, or chewing gum, if you happen to be inSingapore. Regardless of the reason, youshould contact the nearest U.S. consulate or embassy. They can ensure that your rights are observedand that you get legal representation. To avoid arrest, before you leave the States make certain you understandthe laws of the country you will be visiting. Possession of prescription opioids, taking pictures of certainbuildings, and other seemingly benign acts can land you in jail depending onthe country.

• If youare suddenly faced with a monsoon, earthquake, tsunami, or flood obey the localauthorities and keep informed via the State Department website or via socialmedia and email from family and friends back in America.

• The mostcommon reason for missing connecting flights is a weather related traveldelay. Airlines are not obligated to putup passengers for the night or supply them with meal vouches if the delay isdue to acts of God. Keep a list ofhotels near airports you will be connecting through. Make a point of packing extra chocolate. If your flight is cancelled, smile, make eyecontact, and offer your airline representative a bar of chocolate when tryingto secure a replacement flight.

• If youleave something important on a plane, contact the baggage service office inyour arriving city to see if the item has turned up as soon as you realize itis missing. If not, go online and file areport. To avoid this problemaltogether, always double check the seat pocket in front of you, as well as thearea around and under your seat before getting off a plane.