If there is anything I have learned over the last few weeks and during this Hurricane Irene weekend, it’s that many of us are guilty of this:  we assume our flight itinerary will operate as scheduled.  However, the odds against a perfect flight itinerary are very slim.

Frustrated Traveller (Photo from www.theaustralian.com.au)

Case in Point #1:  A friend of mine and her family planned and booked a group cruise vacation themselves.  I followed the saga on facebook.  Apparently, they booked the cheapest possible option, a once-per-day non-stop flight on low-cost carrier the day of the cruise.  Two mistakes were made:  booking on an airline that only flies to your destination once per day and booking their travel on the day of the cruise.  What ended up happening was that the flight was so delayed due to a mechanical problem that they missed their cruise with the rest of the group.  The airline didn’t try to assist them at all because they fulfilled their part of the travel, they got them there the day they were scheduled to arrive, albeit late.  The cruise company tried to accommodate them on another cruise the following day and the day after but they were overbooked, so my friend and her parents ended up spending the week at a hotel in Fort Lauderdale until the rest of their cruise group returned the following weekend.  Luckily, the parents had purchased cruise insurance but their kids had not, so they also lost their cruise money.

Case in Point #2:  A friend of mine contacted me last night about advice regarding a complicated, multi-airline flight itinerary his friend had booked on a third-party travel website.  Due to Hurricane Irene, his first flight had been canceled and was going to jeopardize the entire remainder of the itinerary.  He tried calling the various airlines that flew the flights in his itinerary and none of them would help because, when you purchase from a third-party travel website, they become your travel agent.  Therefore, the customer had to call the third-party website’s outsourced telephone support and wait hours on hold to speak to someone.

Travel Tip #1:  When booking an airline ticket to an event (like your honeymoon, a cruise, a show, etc.) that can’t be missed, book the flight to arrive at least one day in advance, select an airline that has multiple options to your destination and don’t take the last flight there.

Travel Tip #2:  When booking an airline ticket for a trip that is complicated and/or involves multiple airlines and connections, either book directly with the airline(s) or with a reputable travel agent.

Travel Tip #3:  If you are booking a trip of a lifetime or an expensive trip, consider travel insurance.

Our Travel Messiah, Beth Smith, will introduce you to places you have only dreamed about.  Please follow Beth on facebook and twitter or visit her website or read more of her travel musings on her blog.