The tourism sector may be recovering now, but it’s facing another issue: high demand leading to flight cancellations. With the increasing demand for travel comes the increased cost of flying too. Travel apps like Wego make booking affordable flight ticket way easier while helping you cut down on your cancellation risks.
Here’s how.
Opt for Flexi tickets
In case your flight is canceled or rescheduled, Flexi-tickets allows you to make changes, free of cost. They cost slightly more but typically come with other benefits such as a bigger baggage allowance and a full ticket refund.
It is recommended to book flexible tickets if you know you might be facing some uncertainties in your plan. You’ll get to change departure time or date, whether to move up or postpone your flights.
While not all airlines offer flexible tickets, to minimize your risk, most offer cancellation protection that you can opt to add to your booking so you’ll be eligible for a full refund or a form of reimbursement in the case of an emergency.
Budget your pre-travel costs properly
Even if you’re going on a spontaneous trip, you’ll always want to make at least a small budget plan. Cut down on possible heartbreak in case of sudden cancellations by spending as little pre-travel expenses as you can. These include booking flights, and hotels, and looking for affordable or free activities to do at your destination.
Travel apps, especially meta-search travel engines like Wego, make it easy to compare flight and hotel prices across several providers, giving you the best deals you can find online.
Here are other tips to help you stick to your budget when planning your trip:
Book early, preferably outside peak travel dates or holidays.
Go for low-cost airlines.
If you have frequent flyer miles or points, use them. Most airlines have frequent flyer programs that give you points for each flight booking. These points can be redeemed as discounts.
Find inspiration online for nearby travel spots that might be more accessible and cheaper to travel to.
Review your airline’s cancellation policy
Before you make your flight booking, remember to thoroughly review the airline’s flight cancellation policy. You can easily find the information on the airline’s website, but your travel app will typically also have it ready for your perusal.
Most of the time, you won’t have to worry as airlines would automatically refund you if the cancellation happens due to their mistake. However, sometimes you can request a cancellation and get a refund even if your flight is not canceled if it falls under the fare conditions.
There are a few reasons why the airline may consider granting the passenger a refund:
Death of the passenger or a close family member
Weather issue
Court and jury duty
The travel ban imposed by the government
Illness or injury
A pre-existing medical condition that prevents the passenger from flying
Theft of ticket
Consider purchasing a travel insurance
Travel insurance may feel like a questionable travel expense, especially if you’ve never felt like you needed it. However, when traveling amid uncertainties these days, it’s a valuable addition to your travel planning.
Here’s what you can expect to get out of your travel insurance:
Medical: Proper medical assistance and evaluation, ambulance services (if needed), hospital treatment, and hospitalization charges, are covered if you fall seriously ill during your trip.
Baggage loss: If you lose your belongings during your trip, you can be reimbursed depending on the coverage you have.
Documents/passport loss: In the unfortunate event that you have lost or misplaced your passport or travel documents, the expenses to get it replaced can be borne by your travel insurance company.
Flight cancellation: If your flight gets canceled or delayed, you can get extra reimbursement.
Some travel apps offer the ease of adding travel insurance when you book your flight or hotel. With just a click, you’ll be able to protect yourself and your loved ones from sudden changes in plan.
