How to protect your summer travel plans

Remember the images from the last two summers? Mountains of lost luggage at some of the world’s busiest airports; thousands of flights delayed or canceled; scores of travelers stranded and sleeping in airports; understaffed airlines and ensuing air rage. And all this came with higher prices due to inflation. One website even declared 2022 as “the worst year for travel.” Last year saw more of the same.

The post-pandemic “pent-up demand” for travel led, in many instances, not to that dream vacation but one of chaos and disappointment.

So with holiday travel expected to reach pre-pandemic levels this year – and business travel not far behind – here’s how can you secure your summer travel plans – and make your vacation memorable for all the right reasons.

Protect your luggage

Lost luggage has been a problem recently. But you can protect yourself and your belongings, even if you do check a bag. “It’s frustrating if you arrive at your destination and your bags don’t,” says Will Nihan of Travelex Insurance Services in North America. “So it’s best to be prepared so your trip doesn’t get off to a bad start.”

• First, take a few changes of clothes and other essentials in your carry-on.
• Take advantage of your travel insurance allowance for delayed bags so you won’t be out of pocket if you need to buy some essential items.
• Stay in constant touch with your airline about your missing bags.
• For peace of mind, consider investing in a luggage tracker, like an AirTag – then at least you’ll know if your luggage is in the same airport as you, though just on a different carousel.
• If your luggage does get lost, good travel insurance providers will reimburse your loss, depending on the type of policy you buy.

And since canceled flights have been as big a problem as lost luggage, keep in mind that in North America, Travelex Insurance Services also provides cover for trip delay, meaning you’ll be reimbursed in the event your trip is delayed by five or more hours. And if you are delayed, you’ll also be reimbursed if you need to purchase meals or even a hotel room until you can continue your travels.

Protect yourself and your loved ones – proactively

Most of us have emerged from the past few years more cautious and apprehensive about travel and traveling safely. So while travel insurance is essential, it is mobile travel assistance apps that can offer proactive destination advice, risk ratings, real-time safety alerts and click-to-call emergency assistance from anywhere in the world.

“It’s all about geo-tracking,” says Nihan. “You share your location with us through our app on your mobile, and we’ll ping you if there are serious threats or impending weather events around you. Then we’ll help you and your loved ones get to safety. It’s like having your own security expert with you on your trip, at no cost.”

The Travel On app from Travelex Insurance Services is free to download when you buy a travel insurance policy from the company. It’s available for both iPhone and Android devices.

A similar travel assistance app has also just been launched in Australia through Cover-More Travel Insurance. “It’s a travel assistance app designed specifically for Aussie holiday makers, and it brings a whole new level of care and protection for travelers,” says Todd Nelson, CEO of Cover-More in Australia.

And in Latin America, Universal Assistance has boosted their popular travel assistance app with the addition of a new medical self-assistance service to allow their customers autonomy, self-triage and one-click access to the optimum medical provider for their needs. Universal Assistance CEO Fernando Garcia Ruiz says that travel assistance is about immediacy and access. “We all have phones with us, 24-7,” Ruiz says, “and when we’re traveling, they are taking on a new role as a potential guardian and doctor. It means that travel, really, has never been safer. As long as you pack your common sense.”

Remember the basics of travel

After not traveling for more than two years due to the pandemic, most of us have probably forgotten the things that make the experience easier, from packing remedies for common ailments to bringing comfort items that help ease the impact of long-haul flights on our wellbeing.

Medications are one obvious consideration. You should plan to take more than you need in case you are delayed – or if you extend your trip. But if you do inadvertently run out of medication or need to treat a bad cough or gastric upset, don’t panic. Cover-More Europe CEO, Donna Dorairajoo, says that some travel insurance providers offer a telehealth service for rapidly assessing your condition and prescribing medication across borders.

“Cover-More Group has a Virtual Care telemedicine service where you can talk with a doctor in your pajamas without leaving your hotel room, which is super convenient,” she says. “Prescriptions can be sent electronically or sent to a nearby chemist to be dispensed and picked up or delivered.”

Dorairajoo adds that the key to easy and efficient journeys has always been preparation. “I also recommend packing your immediate medicine needs in your carry-on luggage,” she says. “So if your checked bags are delayed, it will be one less thing to worry about.”

If you remember what worked before COVID-19 and apply basic common sense around the “new normal” you will be better prepared for what could still be a challenging travel environment for some time. In the meantime, have fun this summer and wherever you go, enjoy your vacation, stress-free.

Photos: Adobe Stock