When the coffers are now running out for many, due to a tougher economic situation, it may feel especially important before the spring and summer trips to avoid unnecessary costs.
Stina Lundqvist, legal advisor at Konsument Europa, has collected some good tips for those of you who are unsure about upcoming travel bookings.
Search the company
The first thing is to research the market and compare, to get the best price and a good overview.
– After that, you should also do searches on the company you intend to book through, if you are unsure of the site’s seriousness. The terms of the contract say a lot about a company, read them through. Check if there are contact details, where they are based and how the company handles complaints. You can read reviews and also try calling their customer service.
Another tip is to trust your gut feeling.
– If you have done a background check, and there is something that stands out, and your gut feeling is not good, then it is probably best not to book through that company.
Are there any companies you advise against booking from?
– No, since we are part of an authority, we cannot go out with it. Therefore, it is important that you do a basic check of the company yourself, she says.
Review your home insurance
Also watch out for unnecessary additional services when booking. Here, it is important to first check what is included in your home insurance, according to Stina Lundqvist.
– There may be services that are unnecessary, it could be conditions you already have in your home insurance. Check what you have in your basic protection, before you buy anything else.
You should also be aware that different types of travel provide different protection.
– If you buy a linked trip, package trip or book directly via the airline’s website, the responsibility can look different if you need to cancel the trip or if the company goes bankrupt.
Companies that sell package tours are required to have a travel guarantee, which means that you have protection if the tour operator goes bankrupt. But if you book via a comparison site, you can get a connecting trip, where you are also offered a hotel and rental car at a discounted price – but via another site.
– Then you have separate travel agreements with the actors and if something goes wrong, you have to contact both. So it’s good to keep an eye on, she says.
Buy the trip via a credit card
Another security for the consumer is to consider buying the trip via a credit card or other payment, where you have paid refund protection and in some cases travel insurance.
A warning signal that Stina Lundqvist urges consumers to keep an eye on is if the company sends out a payment request – even if you have chosen to pay on arrival.
– If you have agreed to pay on the spot, for example when you arrive at a hotel, and you are contacted about a request for an advance payment, you should not only pay but check exactly what you agreed on.
You should also be vigilant if companies ask for direct payment under “pressure or stress”.
– Think one more step then and consider other payment options.
Something that can be good to buy, however, is cancellation and rebooking protection, something you are usually not automatically entitled to.
– Here, however, you can check if you have that protection via the payment card you bought the trip with or the home insurance, before you pay for it, says Stina Lundqvist.