Are You Prepared for When Travel Plans Go Awry?

<img src="https://dcr-apis.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp_contents/uploads/DCR-ADMIN/Article_Webp/airport.webp" alt="undefined" style="height: auto;width: auto"/> Seasoned travelers know to expect the unexpected, but even the best can’t anticipate everything. I consider myself a fairly experienced traveler and yet I still had some lessons to learn on a recent trip back East. Mistake Number 1 was traveling over the holidays. Everyone should know this one, but sometimes it just can’t be helped. Mistake Number 2 was checking our bags. When our flight was delayed (and then delayed several hours more), many of the passengers found other flights and walked off the plane with their bags. We didn’t have that option.  As we sat in the airport and on the tarmac and then back in the airport for a total of nine hours, it dawned on me that we would miss picking up our pre-paid rental car that evening (pre-paying a third party was Mistake Number 3). When I called to explain the situation, the first agent said I couldn’t change the pick-up date—I could only cancel the reservation and lose all my money. After I endeavored to climb up the chain of command and connected with a more senior agent online, I appealed and they agreed to a refund. Luckily, I had downloaded the travel site’s app, which made communicating a little easier. Fortunately, we didn’t have to fight with the airline to give us a voucher for a motel when we missed our connecting flight. They also paid for breakfast and taxis. When we got to the motel after midnight, we had to make do with what we had carried on (Mistake Number 4). It would have been wise to pack a change of clothes, but at least we had our toiletries. Also, we had some fruit and nuts to tide us over until our flight the next morning. In summary: <ul> <li>Don’t check bags unless you absolutely must.</li> <li>Download apps for airlines, travel sites and car rental agencies.</li> <li>Don’t pre-pay for rental cars. (Costco Travel doesn’t require pre-payment.)</li> <li>Make sure you have basics for an overnight stay if you’re not flying non-stop.</li> <li>Stash some snacks in case you arrive too late to find any food.</li> <li>Make sure to bring a good book and a whole lot of patience</li> </ul> <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/" target="_self">Use Diamond Certified Resource to find top rated companies.</a> Related Articles <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/Guide/Savvy-Consumer/" target="_self">Your Guide to Being a Savvy Consumer</a> <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/find-expert-advice/" target="_self">Get Expert Advice From Owners of Top Rated Local Companies</a> <a href="https://www.diamondcertified.org/membership/" target="_self">Become a Diamond Certified Preferred Member (Always Free)</a>