A family who turned up to Birmingham Airport in the mood for a sun drenched 10 day trip to Portugal were left panicking after it transpired the flight didn't actually exist. Darren Hall, his wife and two children were set to depart from the airport to Faro on Monarch flight ZB408 departing at 13.15, according to the travel itinerary booked through budget travel agents Lowcostholidays.
Travellers heading to Australia and South Africa get best currency rates since the financial crisis - but pound slides six cents against euro in a week
Travellers heading to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are now getting the best currency rate seen in the last eight years, exclusive data for This is Money reveals. In the last 12 months alone, the pound has soared 22 per cent against the Australian dollar, give holidaymakers far more bang for their buck, FairFX says.
'I buy excess insurance online and it covers me if I lock the car keys in the boot': Don't let the car hire fees scupper your skiing break
Car hire excess insurance is the bugbear of many holidaymakers, who are often forced into buying the policy at the rental desk through fear of facing a high bill following an accident. Excess charges have been rising steadily over the past few years. Drivers hiring in Turin, for example, can expect to pay up to £1,800 towards the bill if they do not have insurance to cover it. Mark Bower has claimed twice for accidentally locking his keys in his hire car boot on a ski trip, something not covered automatically by most car hire firms' basic excess policies.
'Insurers treat us like old fogies who might drop off the twig at any moment': Growing numbers of pensioners grounded by travel cover costs that DOUBLE
Since Pat and John Lynam retired six years ago they have been spending the British winters in South Africa. But, every October, the break becomes ever more expensive because of the startling rises in their travel insurance. Pat, 66, and John, 68, have seen the cost of their policy increase by 50 per cent this year to £313 through specialist insurer Rias, which is owned by Ageas. Yet the only thing that has changed since their last visit is that they are both one year older. ...read
After some affordable winter sun? North African destinations are offering the cheapest holiday spends...
Holiday-makers looking for a bargain this winter should head to North Africa while those with more cash to splash should stick to the South of France, according to figures published today. A meal for two in Tunisia comes out at £10.32, while a glass of Coca Cola is just 39p. One 30-minute taxi ride only costs £1.72. In comparison, Transport for London estimates that the average cost of a 16 to 30 minute taxi ride in London will cost anything from £15 to £22.
How much is too much booze? How travel insurers are rejecting claims from holidaymakers who have had 'a drink or two'
Insurers appear to be using alcohol consumption as a reason not to pay out even when there is little evidence that inebriation contributed to the accident. There are also cases where insurers jump to conclusions about what happened - for example they assume that a customer was drunk because of their age or because they were staying at a resort known for its party culture.
How to avoid a gap-year disaster: How to prepare you kids for their travels
The prospect of your teenager travelling the globe will naturally fill many parents with fear. This is Money has come up with some top tips to pass on to your adventure hunters to help avoid any gap-year disasters from setting a budget they can stick to to ensuring they call home. ...read
TOP CARDS FOR USE ABROAD
NO FEES ON FOREIGN PURCHASES
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TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
- Why a three-hour flight delay could now get you £500: How to claim compensation
- Currency exchange: Latest tourist rates Tourist rates updated daily, with predictions on where next for the pound. Cheap currency is also available.
- Going on holiday? Best debit and credit cards to help you avoid overseas fees
- Free currency exchange card Readers can get a FREE FairFX card, accessing better excha<x>nge rates and dodging expensive bank ch<x>arges abroad
- This is Money's top tools to keep your holiday costs low Sick of getting lost in foreign cities or overspending while abroad? Six of the best holiday apps
- Travel insurance: How to get the cheapest cover Our tables list THE best deals on travel insurance and allow you compare the small print
- How to get travel insurance if you're suffering from a serious illness ...and why you musn't just rely on EHIC
Latest from Holidays
- Sky-high excess charges mean claiming on many budget travel insurers' policies is pointless, reveals research
- Airlines told AGAIN to pay out for flight delays as passengers have won yet another court case
- Victory for delayed flight passengers as airlines lose bid to label technical problems as 'extraordinary' in European Court
- EU judges set to rule on compensation for flight delays caused by technical faults
- Fly to Boston or Washington DC for £99: Budget airline WOW launches bargain flight offer (but watch out for costly extras)
- Holiday resort favourite Vilamoura gets set for multi-billion pound makeover on Portugal's sunny Algarve coast
- Could you turn up to hotel and find your paid-for room taken? Travelodge accused of 'overbooking' after bumping weary travellers to a different location
- Family booked on phantom flight to Portugal by budget travel agent left mystified at the airport as firm blames 'human error'
- Travellers heading to Australia and South Africa get best currency rates since the financial crisis – but pound slides six cents against euro in a week
GUIDES & TOOLS TO HELP YOU SAVE ON HOLIDAYS
ESSENTIAL HOLIDAY GUIDES
- Airline and holiday failure: Your rights
- Five tips to save money during the holidays and still have a great time
- How to get cheap flights
- Best debit and credit cards to help you avoid overseas fees
- Top tips and apps to avoid a data roaming bill headache
- Six of the best apps to save you money on holiday
- How to stay safe and legal while abroad
- Found a cheaper flight? How to get your airline to pay YOU the difference
- How to apply for the free EHIC card and avoid scams which make you pay
HOLIDAYS: TOP TIPS
HOLIDAY ESSENTIALS
How to avoid the over-65s travel insurance trap and get the best cover at the right cost
Hunting down travel cover can be both difficult and expensive with older travellers typically paying more for insurance because they are judged more likely to claim.On top of inflated prices, those over 65 also have to contend with age caps which can mean they are turned away by standard providers when they reach certain age brackets. ...read
Currency | Rate | Buy now |
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Updated 23 Sep 2015. | ||
Euro | 1.3555 | Buy Now |
US Dollar | 1.5075 | Buy Now |
Australian Dollar | 2.1053 | Buy Now |
Canadian Dollar | 2.0012 | Buy Now |
Chinese Yuan | 9.4835 | Buy Now |
Croatian Kuna | 10.224 | Buy Now |
Czech Koruna | 36.325 | Buy Now |
Danish Krone | 10.016 | Buy Now |
Egyptian Pound | 10.56 | Buy Now |
Hong Kong Dollar | 11.668 | Buy Now |
Hungarian Forint | 413.69 | Buy Now |
Israeli New Shekel | 5.8223 | Buy Now |
Japanese Yen | 182.25 | Buy Now |
Malaysian Ringgit | 6.2411 | Buy Now |
New Turkish Lire | 4.4873 | Buy Now |
New Zealand Dollar | 2.3868 | Buy Now |
Norwegian Krone | 12.352 | Buy Now |
Polish Zloty | 5.5936 | Buy Now |
Singapore Dollar | 2.1279 | Buy Now |
South African Rand | 20.248 | Buy Now |
Sterling | 1.0 | Buy Now |
Swedish Krona | 12.515 | Buy Now |
Swiss Franc | 1.4681 | Buy Now |
Thai Baht | 53.55 | Buy Now |
UAE Dirham | 5.5476 | Buy Now |
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