Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (airport code AMS) is located just 14 kilometers southwest of this capital city. Schiphol Airport has one terminal, which is divided into six piers (B through G) extending out from a central plaza. From Schiphol passengers can hop a 20-minute Direct Rail Link train to Amsterdam’s Centraal Station and then connect to trains traveling throughout the Netherlands and into Germany and Belgium.
With holiday rates swelling and a constant barrage of news stories about flight delays, it’s no wonder that there’s a lot of complaining about holiday travel. But it doesn’t have to be a complete headache. With 10 easy steps, the editors and members of VirtualTourist, the premier resource for travelers seeking an insider’s perspective, have compiled a list of “10 Tips to Avoid Travel Booking Mistakes.”
1. Read the fine print
The most glaring and common mistake is to not read the terms and conditions page thoroughly. Travelers are often upset because they booked their flight/room/tour thinking it was at a great price, only to learn later that for this “price,” the reservation is nonrefundable or only partly so, after a certain date. Another common mistake is a great flight deal that turns out to be not-so-great once the long list of extra fees are tacked onto the total.
2. Check your hotel location before booking
When booking online make sure to map your prospective hotel to see exactly where it is located. Sure, it can be vaguely listed as Paris/London/San Francisco/Toronto, but in actuality, it can be on the fringes of nowhere, far away from frequent public transit or any of the sites you came to see. Another common mistake is misunderstanding numbered streets — you might assume 7th Street is all in one area, but in fact, South and North can completely change an address in many cities. A great deal on a hotel can be blown quickly in transportation costs to and from where you need to be.
3. Make sure you’re booking for the right city
One of the worst mistakes a traveler can make when booking online is booking for the wrong country. Can you imagine booking a trip to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower and ending up in Paris, Texas? Always make sure to read, and re-read, your final destination before booking.
4. Always do your own comparisons
When comparing prices, don’t believe any Internet service or site that claims they have the lowest or best-priced packages until you have visited the competition’s sites, and when possible, the ultimate service provider’s Internet site.
5. Know your booking operator
When booking a package with a travel agency, make sure you understand the difference between an agent that does all the work personally, and an agent that farms out needed services to others. Also, read the About Us section. If an agency has a genuine history on the About Us page, it gives them credibility. If the “how long have you been in business” portion is vague and filled with “testimonials” instead of a solid history, this is not a good sign.
6. Pay attention to flight details
Before booking a flight with a “budget airline,” it’s a good idea to check the airport’s website.
Be careful about flight times. Not all sites use “military time,” so sometimes 12:30 may mean just after midnight. Also, if you are flying to a different time zone, make sure you take into consideration time lost or gained in travel when booking your next leg: Once you arrive in London, it may be a different day, so make sure that is reflected in your next flight to your final destination.
Carefully consider whether a flight that requires an airport transfer is worth the savings and hassle after you subtract the transfer costs not covered by the airlines. Also, be aware that if you have to re-check your bags after a long layover or break in travel that you may encounter very different luggage limits on local flights, even if you are traveling on the same airline.
7. Look for extra fees
Pay close attention to rental car charges, especially when traveling to different countries. Required insurance, unexpected taxes, and any kind of “extra” fees may appear, even if you have pre-paid.
8. Be prepared
Be prepared, at least mentally, for what you will do if the promised services do not materialize. A great example: if you bought traveler’s insurance, know the detailed procedure you will have to follow to make a successful claim if the airlines, your travel agency, or hotel operator do not make good on their promises. This procedure will be found in the smallest print in your insurance document.
9. Know the distance
When planning your activities, make sure you understand how far away everything is from each other and how you will get there. You don’t want to book something only to later learn that you can’t make it in time, a road is closed that season of the year, or you’ve schedule many of your activities far away from your home base.
10. Seriously, read the fine print!
Read, read, READ before you book!
While our members can’t influence the timeliness of your flight provider or the quality of snacks available during your layover, we hope these suggestions and tips ensure that at least when you book your flight this holiday season, it won’t cause as big a headache as it used to!
(c) 2012 VirtualTourist.com, Distributed by Tribune Media Services Inc.
This was printed in the November 4, 2012 – November 17, 2012 Edition
