Ask Citizens Advice: What can we do to make sure we’re protected when booking a holiday?

Citizens Advice Rochdale is a local charity that provides free, independent, impartial, confidential advice to people in Rochdale.

The Citizens Advice brand is steeped in over 80 years of history and is one of the most recognised brands in the country, supporting millions of people each year across England and Wales.

Each month, we share advice around a key issue that we’re seeing across Rochdale.

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We’re planning a summer getaway to Greece and I’m worried we’ll forget something important, which could ruin the holiday. What steps can we take to make sure we’re fully protected and prepared if anything goes wrong?

Booking a holiday can be overwhelming, especially if it’s been a while since you last went away. It’s unlikely anything will go wrong, but we’ve prepared a simple checklist to make sure you can relax into your holiday knowing you’re protected from the unexpected.

Check your passport is in date - especially for EU travel
Renewing your passport can take several weeks and isn’t something to leave until the last minute. Check the validity of your passport for your trip on GOV.UK by finding out the entry requirements of the country you’re travelling to.

If you’re heading to Europe, bear in mind EU countries don’t accept passports more than ten years old. This includes passports issued pre-Brexit, which may have longer expiry dates.

Just remember, the golden rule for EU travel is: if your passport was issued over ten years ago, you’ll need to get it renewed.

Know your rights if something goes wrong
If your flight’s delayed long enough - usually two to four hours, depending on the journey - your airline must provide access to food and drink vouchers, phone calls and emails, and accommodation if you’re delayed overnight. If it’s cancelled, you’re legally entitled to a full refund or replacement flight to help you get to your destination. You’re also entitled to compensation if your airline delays, loses or damages your checked-in luggage.

Get travel insurance
Although it’s an extra expense, travel insurance can cover many of the things already mentioned, like flight delays and lost luggage, but also things like a holiday cancellation and medical emergencies.

Citizens Advice recommends getting insurance as soon as you book a holiday to make sure you're covered right away - but always check first to see if an existing insurance policy, or your bank account covers what you need for your holiday. There’s no need to double up if you’re already covered!

The chances are your holiday will be problem-free, but early planning and preparation can make all the difference. If you need advice on a consumer problem, head to the Citizens Advice website www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer

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Citizens Advice Rochdale is here to give people the knowledge and the confidence they need to find their way forward - whoever they are, and whatever their problem.

For more information visit our web site www.casort.org or contact our team by phone, WhatsApp or face to face. Freephone: 0808 278 7803.