0:00:02 > 0:00:04We asked you who's left you feeling ripped off
0:00:04 > 0:00:05when it comes to your holidays,
0:00:05 > 0:00:09and you came back with a catalogue of travel disasters.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13It was a nightmare. That particular day was a nightmare.
0:00:13 > 0:00:17First impressions when we walked in was, "What have we booked?
0:00:17 > 0:00:20"What have we paid for?" It was disgusting.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23So, whether it's a deliberate rip-off, a simple mistake,
0:00:23 > 0:00:25or indeed a catch in the small print,
0:00:25 > 0:00:28we'll find out why you were out of pocket,
0:00:28 > 0:00:29and what you can do about it.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33Your stories. Your money.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35This is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39Hello, and welcome once again to Rip-Off Britain,
0:00:39 > 0:00:42where for this series we've come to the sunny and,
0:00:42 > 0:00:44as it turns out, rather windy Canary Islands
0:00:44 > 0:00:45- Lanzarote, to be precise -
0:00:45 > 0:00:47investigating the holiday and travel stories
0:00:47 > 0:00:50you've asked us to look into on your behalf.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52Today, we're focusing on problems that can arise
0:00:52 > 0:00:55even before the holiday itself has actually begun,
0:00:55 > 0:00:59cos they're all to do with things that can crop up at the airport.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01As I'm sure you've discovered, of course,
0:01:01 > 0:01:04these days, some of the big airports really fancy themselves
0:01:04 > 0:01:06as destinations in their own right, thanks to all the shops,
0:01:06 > 0:01:08the restaurants and facilities
0:01:08 > 0:01:12designed to fill the time before you even get on your plane.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14But however they're dressed up, for most of us,
0:01:14 > 0:01:17the airport is just a means to an end,
0:01:17 > 0:01:19rather than somewhere to enjoy, in that sense.
0:01:19 > 0:01:21And in the nicest possible way,
0:01:21 > 0:01:23we want to get out of there as quickly as possible,
0:01:23 > 0:01:26without being delayed, or indeed, spending a fortune.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29But sadly, of course, both of those things can happen
0:01:29 > 0:01:30all too frequently.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32So, today, we're going to be advising you
0:01:32 > 0:01:35on everything you need to know if they do.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38We're going to be revealing some quite extraordinary ways
0:01:38 > 0:01:40that airports and even the airlines themselves
0:01:40 > 0:01:42can leave you out of pocket,
0:01:42 > 0:01:45with plenty of advice on putting that right.
0:01:45 > 0:01:46And if you're someone who is seduced
0:01:46 > 0:01:48by all of those bargains in duty free
0:01:48 > 0:01:50- well, aren't we all? -
0:01:50 > 0:01:54I think we've a report you're not going to want to miss.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58Coming up, how airlines are still wriggling out of paying compensation
0:01:58 > 0:02:01for delayed flights, even after the courts have said they should.
0:02:01 > 0:02:06I think that the companies should abide by this new legislation,
0:02:06 > 0:02:10not try and bamboozle people with technical terms.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14And with charges for using trolleys or just for being dropped off,
0:02:14 > 0:02:17have our airports gone too far in squeezing out those extra pennies?
0:02:19 > 0:02:22I feel a little bit let down by some of the airports in the UK.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25I'd really like to find that consumers aren't being exploited,
0:02:25 > 0:02:27but I have a feeling they might be.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33Now, we've talked about flight delays on this programme
0:02:33 > 0:02:36quite a lot, and in particular, about the way it seems that
0:02:36 > 0:02:40some airlines would do their very best to avoid paying compensation
0:02:40 > 0:02:43to passengers who've been seriously delayed.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46But we very much hope that it might not be a topic
0:02:46 > 0:02:48that you would need to complain about again,
0:02:48 > 0:02:51basically because, last year, new rules were introduced
0:02:51 > 0:02:54to make sure that passengers did get the pay-outs
0:02:54 > 0:02:56to which they were entitled.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59Unfortunately, however, that is still not always the case,
0:02:59 > 0:03:02and, indeed, you've been telling us that some airlines appear
0:03:02 > 0:03:06to have ever-more-creative ways in which they can avoid
0:03:06 > 0:03:09paying the compensation that you think you really do deserve.
0:03:12 > 0:03:13Six hours.
0:03:14 > 0:03:1712 hours.
0:03:17 > 0:03:1831 hours.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21We weren't really sure why we were delayed.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23We should've been feeling rejuvenated
0:03:23 > 0:03:25after two weeks away, and we got home exhausted.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30Dozens of you told us that you'd experienced lengthy delays
0:03:30 > 0:03:34on your holiday flights, without receiving any compensation.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39In all too many of such cases, airlines blamed the delays
0:03:39 > 0:03:43on what they called "extraordinary circumstances",
0:03:43 > 0:03:47caused, they said, by "technical defects", which, at the time,
0:03:47 > 0:03:51had been a valid reason to deny a compensation claim.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53But all of that changed in 2014,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56when the Supreme Court stepped in to say that technical faults
0:03:56 > 0:04:00do not always constitute "extraordinary circumstances".
0:04:00 > 0:04:04Legal firm Bott & Co saw that as a watershed moment for passengers.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09It's so significant, because 85% of the defences
0:04:09 > 0:04:11that we get from the airlines say,
0:04:11 > 0:04:13"Technical defect, couldn't have anticipated it."
0:04:13 > 0:04:17But despite that ruling, it seems many of you
0:04:17 > 0:04:19still haven't found it any easier
0:04:19 > 0:04:23to claim compensation after a long delay, and
0:04:23 > 0:04:26you reckon that some airlines have simply found a new form of words
0:04:26 > 0:04:30that they can use as a reason to avoid paying out.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33In 2014, retired teachers Janet and Les Patman
0:04:33 > 0:04:35booked a winter cruise in the Caribbean.
0:04:36 > 0:04:40We decided on the Caribbean because neither of us had been there before,
0:04:40 > 0:04:42and Janet particularly wanted to go there.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44This really was a holiday of a lifetime for us,
0:04:44 > 0:04:48and our expectations were huge.
0:04:48 > 0:04:53The following January, as much of the UK was enduring a dismal winter,
0:04:53 > 0:04:57Janet and Les arrived at Gatwick for their flight with Thomson.
0:04:57 > 0:05:02At check-in, they were told there would be a short 30-minute delay.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04We boarded the plane, I think just after 12 o'clock,
0:05:04 > 0:05:08and we were excited to get a glass of champagne,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11and we thought we were ready to go.
0:05:11 > 0:05:12But the champagne was finished
0:05:12 > 0:05:16long before there was any sign of the flight taking off.
0:05:16 > 0:05:21Cabin crew told passengers that the onboard TVs were broken,
0:05:21 > 0:05:24and there was a fault with all of the plane's toilets.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27Unfortunately, having just had a glass of champagne,
0:05:27 > 0:05:29lots of us ladies, particularly,
0:05:29 > 0:05:33were very keen to start using the toilets
0:05:33 > 0:05:39that were out of use, but nobody knew why.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43The flight eventually took off 90 minutes late,
0:05:43 > 0:05:47and whilst the TVs had been fixed, the toilets hadn't.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50Cabin crew told passengers that they were expected to be fixed
0:05:50 > 0:05:53by the time the plane reached cruising altitude.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55But when this didn't happen,
0:05:55 > 0:05:57the captain announced they'd be turning back to the UK,
0:05:57 > 0:06:01where the loos were repaired on the tarmac.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04Of course, everyone by this time needed to go to the toilet.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06It took...what was it? About another hour?
0:06:06 > 0:06:09- Yeah, over another hour. - On the tarmac.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Everybody was queuing right down the plane
0:06:12 > 0:06:15for all the toilets that now were available
0:06:15 > 0:06:18before we could set off again.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21Five-and-a-half hours after they should have originally taken off,
0:06:21 > 0:06:23the plane finally left.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26And while Janet and Les did have a fantastic holiday,
0:06:26 > 0:06:29when they got home, they couldn't forget the shaky start
0:06:29 > 0:06:33that the delayed flight had caused, so they complained to Thomson.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37It was a very disappointing flight,
0:06:37 > 0:06:39and, really, I think we needed an apology.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45But Thomson said the couple was not entitled to any compensation,
0:06:45 > 0:06:50falling back on those familiar words "extraordinary circumstances",
0:06:50 > 0:06:53which, in this case, the airline blamed on what it called
0:06:53 > 0:06:57a "hidden manufacturing defect".
0:06:57 > 0:07:00So how can they use that as their get-out clause
0:07:00 > 0:07:04when that wasn't an extraordinary circumstance?
0:07:04 > 0:07:07It's not like a hurricane or a tornado.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12Litigation executive, Kevin Clarke, agrees.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16He believes the words "hidden manufacturing defect"
0:07:16 > 0:07:18are just the latest catch-all excuse that airlines use
0:07:18 > 0:07:21to get themselves off the compensation hook
0:07:21 > 0:07:25and that, in many cases, what's described as such a defect
0:07:25 > 0:07:26may be no such thing.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28A hidden manufacturing defect
0:07:28 > 0:07:31is something which is diagnosed by the manufacturer of the aircraft,
0:07:31 > 0:07:33or by another competent authority
0:07:33 > 0:07:37and is something which affects every single aircraft in their fleet.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40So the best example I can give is Boeing calling a particular airline,
0:07:40 > 0:07:43telling them there's a problem with this part,
0:07:43 > 0:07:46and all of those aircraft in that fleet are grounded.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49But Kevin doesn't think that what happened to Janet and Les
0:07:49 > 0:07:51falls into that category.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54What the airlines are describing as a hidden manufacturing defect
0:07:54 > 0:07:56isn't actually a hidden manufacturing defect.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00It's a premature failure of one part on one aircraft.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04Things like blocked toilets, burst tyres, a bolt in a wheel,
0:08:04 > 0:08:06and that's something which the courts said last year
0:08:06 > 0:08:08was not an extraordinary circumstance,
0:08:08 > 0:08:10and airlines should pay compensation for that.
0:08:12 > 0:08:13Before the rules were tightened,
0:08:13 > 0:08:17Kevin's law firm had seen airlines using "manufacturing defects"
0:08:17 > 0:08:20as a defence in less than 5% of cases.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23But a year later, they say it's being used in
0:08:23 > 0:08:25a whopping 80% of them.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Other law firms we've spoken to agree they've seen
0:08:28 > 0:08:31a similar increase, with one of them very firmly of the view
0:08:31 > 0:08:33that when those words pop up,
0:08:33 > 0:08:37it's often simply a "tactic airlines are using to stall the claims".
0:08:38 > 0:08:40Simon Calder is among those who say
0:08:40 > 0:08:42the airlines shouldn't be able to get away with it.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45But, as he says, the trouble is no-one's stopping them.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48There's no real penalty if an airline decides
0:08:48 > 0:08:51it's going to be really awkward with the passenger.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55There is, in each country, a national enforcement body.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58In Britain, it's the Civil Aviation Authority,
0:08:58 > 0:09:01but they seem to be fairly toothless in saying to the airlines,
0:09:01 > 0:09:04"Look, it's your fault, you've got to pay up."
0:09:05 > 0:09:08After years of confusion on this, just like buses,
0:09:08 > 0:09:11no sooner had there been one landmark court ruling
0:09:11 > 0:09:14than another came along almost straightaway.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18This one, also in 2014, allowed passengers from the UK
0:09:18 > 0:09:20to claim for delays longer than three hours
0:09:20 > 0:09:23up to six years after the event.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27That should have helped Richard and Margaret Rose claim for
0:09:27 > 0:09:31a seven-hour delay that they had flying home from Madeira in 2011.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35Given the delay, inconvenience and distress that had been caused,
0:09:35 > 0:09:39I saw no reason why we shouldn't put the claim in.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43Richard had initially complained to airline Jet2 in 2013.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47On that occasion, when the dreaded words "extraordinary circumstances"
0:09:47 > 0:09:49had been used to dismiss his compensation claim,
0:09:49 > 0:09:51the delay had been put down to
0:09:51 > 0:09:54an "unexpected flight safety shortcoming".
0:09:54 > 0:09:56But Richard was encouraged by the court ruling
0:09:56 > 0:09:59that technical faults should not routinely constitute
0:09:59 > 0:10:02those "extraordinary circumstances".
0:10:02 > 0:10:04So he wrote to the airline again,
0:10:04 > 0:10:06and this time, it had a different justification
0:10:06 > 0:10:08for rejecting his claim.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12Now, the delay had apparently been caused by - you guessed it -
0:10:12 > 0:10:14a "hidden manufacturing defect".
0:10:14 > 0:10:17But Richard was not convinced.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21It rapidly became clear to me
0:10:21 > 0:10:24that this was some kind of a technical defence
0:10:24 > 0:10:27which the airline was proposing to rely upon
0:10:27 > 0:10:30to avoid paying out the compensation.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Getting nowhere, Richard instructed a firm of specialist solicitors
0:10:34 > 0:10:35to deal with his claim.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37It was getting technical,
0:10:37 > 0:10:40so I decided to pass it over to the experts.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44It is well over two years now since I started the claim.
0:10:44 > 0:10:45I still have nothing to show for it.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48We've heard from plenty more delayed passengers
0:10:48 > 0:10:51who've had similar experiences trying to get compensation
0:10:51 > 0:10:53from a variety of airlines.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56In part, the hold-up resolving their claims
0:10:56 > 0:10:58was down to one big-name airline
0:10:58 > 0:11:01fighting back against the courts' decisions.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04Ryanair argued that its own terms and conditions,
0:11:04 > 0:11:06which said passengers can't claim for a delay
0:11:06 > 0:11:08more than two years after it happened,
0:11:08 > 0:11:12trumped the EU's ruling that said you could do it for six.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15But in August of last year, it lost its case.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18The law is now pretty clear -
0:11:18 > 0:11:21if your flight arrives three hours or more late,
0:11:21 > 0:11:24and it's not because of a very limited number
0:11:24 > 0:11:26of extraordinary circumstances,
0:11:26 > 0:11:29then the airline owes you compensation.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33Even so, in the months since that latest court decision,
0:11:33 > 0:11:35the lawyers working in this field have told us
0:11:35 > 0:11:38they've still seen little change in the attitude of many airlines,
0:11:38 > 0:11:42and they've had to issue hundreds of court proceedings
0:11:42 > 0:11:44in order for passengers to get any compensation.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48But, for both of the cases that we spoke to,
0:11:48 > 0:11:50there's been good news -
0:11:50 > 0:11:53Jet2 has finally resolved the case of Richard and Margaret,
0:11:53 > 0:11:55and agreed to pay compensation.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58And when we contacted Thomson
0:11:58 > 0:12:01about Janet and Les's five-and-a-half-hour delay,
0:12:01 > 0:12:03thanks to those broken loos,
0:12:03 > 0:12:06it said it "operates a fair and thorough process
0:12:06 > 0:12:09"to deal with EU delay claims"
0:12:09 > 0:12:11and that, having reviewed Janet and Les' case,
0:12:11 > 0:12:13it has now paid their claim.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17Though that's a welcome relief,
0:12:17 > 0:12:19Janet and Les say it's been a long, hard slog
0:12:19 > 0:12:23to get the compensation they feel they were entitled to all along.
0:12:23 > 0:12:28I think the companies should abide by this new legislation,
0:12:28 > 0:12:32not try and bamboozle people with technical terms.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36Perhaps if more of us did actually make a stand,
0:12:36 > 0:12:40then the company would have to change its ways.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48During the course of the series, we've had plenty of advice
0:12:48 > 0:12:50to keep you out of trouble and save you money
0:12:50 > 0:12:52when you arrive at your holiday destination.
0:12:52 > 0:12:57But the unexpected demands on your pocket can start long before that -
0:12:57 > 0:13:00in fact, before you've even set foot on the plane.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Airports are big business -
0:13:05 > 0:13:07huge money-making machines,
0:13:07 > 0:13:11with a captive market of people who have time on their hands
0:13:11 > 0:13:14and money in their pockets to spend, spend, spend.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17And, with passenger numbers going up,
0:13:17 > 0:13:20clearly there's the potential for businesses located here
0:13:20 > 0:13:22to make a lot of money.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27But airports are also very expensive buildings to run,
0:13:27 > 0:13:31and to keep going, they need to find plenty of ways to generate cash
0:13:31 > 0:13:34which is why, in recent years, charges have started to creep in
0:13:34 > 0:13:37for all manner of things that were previously free.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40And while the sums involved may not be huge
0:13:40 > 0:13:42- usually just the odd pound here and there -
0:13:42 > 0:13:45all those little extras can quickly add up,
0:13:45 > 0:13:48making quite a dent in your holiday spending money
0:13:48 > 0:13:50before you've even left the country.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54Phyllis Tyson from Harrogate got in touch with us
0:13:54 > 0:13:57to complain that her local airport, Leeds Bradford,
0:13:57 > 0:14:00now charges £3 just to be dropped off outside the terminal,
0:14:00 > 0:14:03although there is a free "hour zone" car park
0:14:03 > 0:14:05just a few minutes' walk away.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08And once inside, there's another little charge to pay.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11Using a trolley for your bags will cost you £1
0:14:11 > 0:14:13that you won't get back.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15Phyllis' e-mail got us wondering
0:14:15 > 0:14:17how many of these little extras at airports
0:14:17 > 0:14:21are now becoming standard charges we should expect to pay,
0:14:21 > 0:14:24and, indeed, whether they're a peculiarly British thing,
0:14:24 > 0:14:28or will we find the same costs at airports around the world?
0:14:28 > 0:14:32To help us see how our airports compare to those in other countries,
0:14:32 > 0:14:36we enlisted the help of globetrotter Chris Barstow.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40He's clocked up nearly 170,000 miles in the last year,
0:14:40 > 0:14:43flying around the world for both business and pleasure,
0:14:43 > 0:14:47and he always keeps an eye on what he spends.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49I've noticed in the last few years
0:14:49 > 0:14:51that airports seem to be charging more money
0:14:51 > 0:14:53for things that they didn't used to,
0:14:53 > 0:14:57and I found myself spending a lot more money at airports as a result.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00I think, as a frequent traveller, I feel a little bit let down
0:15:00 > 0:15:02by some of the airports in the UK,
0:15:02 > 0:15:05because I feel like I'm spending a lot of money
0:15:05 > 0:15:07that I would want to spend in my destination
0:15:07 > 0:15:09just at the airport.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12So we asked Chris to keep track of the extra costs he's racking up
0:15:12 > 0:15:13on his next set of travels.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16Though by no means an exhaustive worldwide study,
0:15:16 > 0:15:20his various stops may give us a snapshot as to whether UK airports
0:15:20 > 0:15:23really do charge more than the rest of the world.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27So I'd really like to find that consumers aren't being exploited,
0:15:27 > 0:15:29but I have a feeling they might be.
0:15:32 > 0:15:36The first destination that Chris contacts us from is Brunei,
0:15:36 > 0:15:387,000 miles from the UK.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42I'm currently in Brunei, on the gorgeous island of Borneo.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45Been travelling for a long time to get here.
0:15:45 > 0:15:46It's been really hot today as well,
0:15:46 > 0:15:49but just cooling down here in the evening,
0:15:49 > 0:15:51so just relaxing with a cocktail by the pool.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54Brunei feels a world away from Manchester,
0:15:54 > 0:15:55where Chris flew from,
0:15:55 > 0:15:58and where he was cheesed off by one of those charges
0:15:58 > 0:16:00we'd heard about at Leeds Bradford.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03I found in Manchester Airport, you had to pay to use the trolleys,
0:16:03 > 0:16:05which I found incredible.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07If you've just come off a flight,
0:16:07 > 0:16:09you don't want to be worrying about finding loose change
0:16:09 > 0:16:11just to use a trolley.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13Chris's next airport stop was Stansted.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16I was dropped off at Stansted Airport by a friend
0:16:16 > 0:16:19and it cost £2.50 just to drop me off,
0:16:19 > 0:16:22which I thought was a ridiculous charge.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25Stansted will charge you for a trolley, too,
0:16:25 > 0:16:29but here, the money is at least refunded when you return it,
0:16:29 > 0:16:32unlike at Manchester, where you don't get your pound back,
0:16:32 > 0:16:37and at Luton and Bristol, both of which keep their £2 trolley fee.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39Fly from Heathrow or Glasgow, however,
0:16:39 > 0:16:43and you'll get the pleasure of a trolley absolutely free.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46Meanwhile, on his most recent stops,
0:16:46 > 0:16:49Chris found other charges he didn't like, too.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52What I found in Manchester Airport and Stansted Airport
0:16:52 > 0:16:55is that you only get one hour of Wi-Fi free, so again,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58if you've just arrived in the country
0:16:58 > 0:17:00and don't have a SIM card for a UK phone,
0:17:00 > 0:17:02you can end up spending a lot of money.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05Chris's journey then took him to Milan,
0:17:05 > 0:17:08home to some of the world's biggest fashion houses.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10So how do its airport costs stack up?
0:17:12 > 0:17:14In Milan, I used two airports -
0:17:14 > 0:17:17didn't have to pay any charges for trolleys or Wi-Fi,
0:17:17 > 0:17:20so that was a pretty positive experience there.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22After a brief stopover in Italy,
0:17:22 > 0:17:25Chris touched down in the major international airport
0:17:25 > 0:17:27of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31Nearly 50 million passengers pass through there every year.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34But will they need to have some extra change handy?
0:17:34 > 0:17:38I had an 11-hour flight from Milan to Kuala Lumpur,
0:17:38 > 0:17:40but I was pretty pleased to find
0:17:40 > 0:17:42that almost everything in Kuala Lumpur is free -
0:17:42 > 0:17:47free trolleys, free Wi-Fi, so it was a good experience, really.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50It was a really good welcome to the country.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52Travel writer Lisa Francesca Nand
0:17:52 > 0:17:55has been keeping an eye on the rise and rise
0:17:55 > 0:17:57of the costs appearing at airports,
0:17:57 > 0:18:01and she's not impressed by some of them, either.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05I mean, how can you charge someone to drop someone off and pick them up
0:18:05 > 0:18:07when it might take only up to 30 seconds?
0:18:07 > 0:18:09The thing is, they can get away with it -
0:18:09 > 0:18:10we're a captive audience.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13Airports are actually private businesses and, unfortunately,
0:18:13 > 0:18:15that means that they can charge as much as they like.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18They want to earn as much money out of us as possible.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20It does feel very unfair.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25The UK's 24 international airports have quite a range of other charges
0:18:25 > 0:18:28you've told us that you think are unreasonable.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32At Bristol, you'll be charged £1 for weighing your luggage
0:18:32 > 0:18:36if you use one of their special weighing machines.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40Belfast, Aberdeen and Leeds Bradford
0:18:40 > 0:18:43all charge smokers £1 to use their smoking shelter.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46Several airports will charge you an airport development fee
0:18:46 > 0:18:50to help fund further development there - that'll cost you £10
0:18:50 > 0:18:52flying from Norwich,
0:18:52 > 0:18:54whereas a trip via Durham will set you back
0:18:54 > 0:18:57a £6 so-called "passenger facility" fee.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00And while you may not be able to avoid some of these charges,
0:19:00 > 0:19:05it may soften the blow if you at least know they're coming.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07I'd love to say that excessive airport charges
0:19:07 > 0:19:09are going to change but, unfortunately,
0:19:09 > 0:19:11I really don't think they're going to.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13Back on the trail with Chris
0:19:13 > 0:19:16and he's made the more than 2,000-mile journey
0:19:16 > 0:19:18from Borneo to Perth in Australia,
0:19:18 > 0:19:22where he hits his first "extra" charge since leaving the UK,
0:19:22 > 0:19:25and it's for something all too familiar.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29It wasn't ideal to discover that you had to pay to use a trolley.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33Um...4 is about...just under £2,
0:19:33 > 0:19:38so it's an annoying charge to have to pay after a long flight.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41One advantage, though, that they have in Australia
0:19:41 > 0:19:43is that your can pay by credit card,
0:19:43 > 0:19:46which means, even if you don't have local currency,
0:19:46 > 0:19:48you can still pay the charge,
0:19:48 > 0:19:51but obviously it's not great having to pay extra money
0:19:51 > 0:19:53when you're at the airport.
0:19:53 > 0:19:58Over 2,500 miles across the country, in Brisbane,
0:19:58 > 0:20:00those pesky luggage charges remain.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03In fact, they're standard in most Australian airports.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07Now, obviously, neither we nor Chris
0:20:07 > 0:20:10have visited every airport in the world,
0:20:10 > 0:20:12and while the UK does seem to have more of them
0:20:12 > 0:20:14than anywhere else on Chris's route,
0:20:14 > 0:20:17it's reassuring that it's not just here
0:20:17 > 0:20:19where those extra charges are taking off.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22But we asked the Airport Operators Association,
0:20:22 > 0:20:25which represents UK airports,
0:20:25 > 0:20:27why we're increasingly having to pay them.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32It told us that without the "modest, generally optional" fees,
0:20:32 > 0:20:35airports would have to levy higher landing fees on airlines,
0:20:35 > 0:20:37which would lead to higher air fares
0:20:37 > 0:20:41and make air travel less accessible for millions of people.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45And while reiterating that the charges are usually less than £5,
0:20:45 > 0:20:49it insisted that customer surveys suggest that passengers
0:20:49 > 0:20:52are happier than ever with UK airports.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55But from his latest stop in Australia,
0:20:55 > 0:20:58Chris wouldn't entirely agree.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00Small they may be, but to him,
0:21:00 > 0:21:02these charges remain an annoying inconvenience,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05especially if you don't know they're coming.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07I know that airports have to make a profit,
0:21:07 > 0:21:11I think that's understandable, but I also think it's important
0:21:11 > 0:21:14that consumers know how much they have to pay for certain services,
0:21:14 > 0:21:17and also that they shouldn't be exploited.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26Still to come on Rip-Off Britain -
0:21:26 > 0:21:29can you still bag a bargain in airport duty-free shops?
0:21:29 > 0:21:32Or could you find a better price a lot closer to home?
0:21:32 > 0:21:33Don't just fall for the fact
0:21:33 > 0:21:36that it says it's a bargain, you're saving money.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38You may find you're making no saving
0:21:38 > 0:21:41or even spending more than you need to.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47One of the travel issues you contact us about most
0:21:47 > 0:21:49is that of problems to do with flights,
0:21:49 > 0:21:51whether they've been delayed, cancelled,
0:21:51 > 0:21:53or there's been a mistake with your booking.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56I must say, it can put a real dampener on your whole trip.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59And then getting some airlines to listen to your complaint
0:21:59 > 0:22:02can be a challenge in itself that would test, I think,
0:22:02 > 0:22:04even the most patient amongst us.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06Several of you brought your complaints on this
0:22:06 > 0:22:09to our pop-up shop which we held in Nottingham last summer,
0:22:09 > 0:22:11and our travel expert, Simon Calder,
0:22:11 > 0:22:15was on hand to give some terrific face-to-face advice.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21Over one weekend, we set up a one-stop consumer advice clinic,
0:22:21 > 0:22:24where we and our experts were on hand
0:22:24 > 0:22:26to talk about all manner of travel issues.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30- With one team of experts... - Ready and able to help...
0:22:30 > 0:22:33The pop-up shop is ready for business, and it's open.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35So, come on in, everybody, yes.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42One of the first through the door to see Simon Calder
0:22:42 > 0:22:44was Marlene Moss.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48She wasn't able to book the seats she wanted on a flight to Spain.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51She was a given an explanation she couldn't quite believe.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55As you'll see, nor indeed could Simon.
0:22:55 > 0:22:56- Hello, Marlene. - Hello.
0:22:56 > 0:23:01I gather that the dreaded health and safety have been at you, have they?
0:23:01 > 0:23:03- I believe that's it, yes. - Well, what's the problem, then?
0:23:03 > 0:23:06We wanted to pre-book seats for a flight.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08We went to the agent to book -
0:23:08 > 0:23:11"Can we have row six, middle seat and aisle seat?"
0:23:11 > 0:23:14I'm not keen on a window seat, my husband isn't either.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17They said we couldn't do that because they were not...
0:23:17 > 0:23:20We'd got to have a window seat and a middle seat
0:23:20 > 0:23:24because they are not allowed to leave a window seat free,
0:23:24 > 0:23:27- for health and safety reasons. - For health and safety?- Yes.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31Did they explain what precisely were the health and safety issues?
0:23:31 > 0:23:33- No. - This is outrageous.
0:23:33 > 0:23:38Clearly, they are in the business of telling complete porky pies to you
0:23:38 > 0:23:42- in order to make more money. - This is what we thought, because...
0:23:42 > 0:23:46The only rule that applies is the Civil Aviation Authority rule,
0:23:46 > 0:23:49saying we've all got to be able to get out of that plane
0:23:49 > 0:23:51in 90 seconds flat, and we're going to be able to do that
0:23:51 > 0:23:53whether or not the window seat is occupied.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56So health and safety - that is absolute tosh.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58Let me tell you what they're trying to do.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01- Me and Angela are off on our holidays again.- Again?
0:24:01 > 0:24:03- We're sitting in... - Where are we going this time?
0:24:03 > 0:24:05So, we're sitting in row 6C and 6B.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07That seat is empty.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10The company will not be able to sell that seat,
0:24:10 > 0:24:12because it's a single seat on its own,
0:24:12 > 0:24:14and most people going on holidays
0:24:14 > 0:24:17are going to be going together, aren't we?
0:24:17 > 0:24:19And so, therefore, it's a purely money-making thing.
0:24:19 > 0:24:24They're hoping that you and Angela will be together in 6A and 6B,
0:24:24 > 0:24:29so that they can sell me 6C, and my companion is in 6D,
0:24:29 > 0:24:31and they just want to make more money.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33And for them to blame health and safety
0:24:33 > 0:24:35is an absolute outrage,
0:24:35 > 0:24:39and I would urge you to go back to the travel agent and say,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42"Can you please show me the health and safety regulation
0:24:42 > 0:24:44"to which you refer?"
0:24:44 > 0:24:46And of course, they won't be able to, and just say,
0:24:46 > 0:24:49"Can you be a bit more respectful of your customers next time, please?"
0:24:49 > 0:24:53- Yeah.- What are you going to do the next time you book a seat?
0:24:53 > 0:24:55- Don't pay money...- I don't think we'll book, to be quite honest.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58- No.- Don't pay money. - You just take pot luck,
0:24:58 > 0:25:00- and sort it out. - On a short flight, yes.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03Some people will even pay money NOT to be next to their husband.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05LAUGHTER
0:25:05 > 0:25:07Well, I wasn't going to say that, but you can.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12But it wasn't just flight problems our experts were advising on.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14Holiday journalist Lisa Francesca Nand
0:25:14 > 0:25:17was checking to see whether passing shoppers were clued up
0:25:17 > 0:25:21on how to avoid accommodation scams when booking online.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24- Have you ever booked online? - Yeah, a couple of times.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26- And do you feel safe? - Yeah, pretty safe.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28What about if you're not booking a package?
0:25:28 > 0:25:30What about if you're booking a private villa?
0:25:30 > 0:25:34I don't know, I usually book separately anyway when I do it.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36So how do you actually check if the villa is real?
0:25:36 > 0:25:38Well, there's several things you can do,
0:25:38 > 0:25:42and I think, really, you need to become your own private detective.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45You could get online, use one of the map services,
0:25:45 > 0:25:46and see what the local area looks like.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49Check that the villa's there, because some people have gone
0:25:49 > 0:25:52and the villa doesn't exist. Look for the owner online,
0:25:52 > 0:25:55and see whether he or she has had anything come up about them,
0:25:55 > 0:25:59cos you could find one of these scams where people pretend to be
0:25:59 > 0:26:01the hotel or the villa and they're not,
0:26:01 > 0:26:03they're actually someone else's website,
0:26:03 > 0:26:06and then you pay them, and then your money's gone.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09£2.2 million was lost last year through holiday scams,
0:26:09 > 0:26:12with the average scam being about £900 worth,
0:26:12 > 0:26:16so it's big business and you do have to be really, really careful.
0:26:19 > 0:26:20And Simon also had some great tips
0:26:20 > 0:26:23on when it's best to book your trip away.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26Simon, I'd like you to meet Jack and Molly.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28They're about to go travelling.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30Oh, fantastic - where are you going?
0:26:30 > 0:26:31We're not quite sure yet, are we?
0:26:31 > 0:26:35Hopefully somewhere in Spain, or maybe one of the Greek islands.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37- We want somewhere hot. - Nice and hot.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39What time of year are you going?
0:26:39 > 0:26:41October - the first week of October.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44OK, very good timing, because you're going to find
0:26:44 > 0:26:48that anywhere in the Mediterranean, you've got wonderfully warm sea
0:26:48 > 0:26:50because it's been cooking all summer, basically,
0:26:50 > 0:26:52you haven't got crowds, and you've got great deals,
0:26:52 > 0:26:56cos you've gone in between the end of the main school summer holidays
0:26:56 > 0:26:58and the October half-term.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01That time of year, you've got to go fairly well south,
0:27:01 > 0:27:04so Crete would be great, and the Costa Del Sol.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08If you want more guarantee of good weather, then further south,
0:27:08 > 0:27:13so maybe down to Essaouira in Morocco, or the Canaries.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15If you're going off peak, you're going to get great value,
0:27:15 > 0:27:18maybe as little as £200 for a week.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21What you need to do, because of the timing that you've got,
0:27:21 > 0:27:23hold your nerve, watch the prices.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25I wouldn't even begin to start looking
0:27:25 > 0:27:28until maybe the beginning of September.
0:27:28 > 0:27:29How does that sound?
0:27:29 > 0:27:31Very good. I want to go now.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33LAUGHTER
0:27:35 > 0:27:38You know, snapping up a last-minute bargain
0:27:38 > 0:27:40at the airport duty-free shop before you fly
0:27:40 > 0:27:44is a real holiday ritual for many of us, including me -
0:27:44 > 0:27:46as much a part of jetting off as packing your suitcase
0:27:46 > 0:27:48and remembering to take your passport.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51But are you really getting the great deal you think you are?
0:27:51 > 0:27:53Well, after comparing some prices,
0:27:53 > 0:27:56I'm afraid we can tell you the answer is, no, not always.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59And, you know, with some products, you might even be better off
0:27:59 > 0:28:01buying them on the high street.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06For many of us, the duty-free shop is where the holiday really starts.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09Since the first one opened its doors in 1947,
0:28:09 > 0:28:11they quickly developed a reputation
0:28:11 > 0:28:14for being a place to pick up pre-flight bargains,
0:28:14 > 0:28:16with perfumes, jewellery, booze and tobacco
0:28:16 > 0:28:18all at reduced prices,
0:28:18 > 0:28:21leaving us with a bit of extra spending money in our pockets.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25But over the years, what "duty free" actually means has totally changed
0:28:25 > 0:28:28and these days, not everything filling those airport shelves
0:28:28 > 0:28:31is quite the bargain you might think.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34So, with all that competition from other retailers,
0:28:34 > 0:28:36how much of what we see in the duty-free shops
0:28:36 > 0:28:39is really such a good deal?
0:28:39 > 0:28:43I feel people shop in duty free because they think it's cheaper.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45I think we're getting a good deal.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48Every time we've gone, it's always been a good deal, going out,
0:28:48 > 0:28:52and we always buy gifts for one another when we're coming back.
0:28:52 > 0:28:56Yeah, I go shopping at duty free to buy tobacco, roll-up tobacco.
0:28:56 > 0:28:57It's usually generally cheaper.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00I have ended up buying something that I wouldn't normally buy
0:29:00 > 0:29:01because of the price.
0:29:02 > 0:29:06For decades, duty-free stores were packed with genuine bargains,
0:29:06 > 0:29:08and that's because, as the products they sold
0:29:08 > 0:29:11were intended to be consumed outside of the UK,
0:29:11 > 0:29:15the Government deemed them exempt from the usual taxes and fees.
0:29:15 > 0:29:18But in 1999, all that changed -
0:29:18 > 0:29:21these kind of savings were no longer available to everyone.
0:29:21 > 0:29:25From then on, if you were travelling anywhere within the EU,
0:29:25 > 0:29:28you would now have to pay these taxes, or duties,
0:29:28 > 0:29:31just as you would in a normal high-street shop.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34Travellers were only now able to purchase products
0:29:34 > 0:29:36that were truly tax free or duty free
0:29:36 > 0:29:39if they were flying outside of the EU -
0:29:39 > 0:29:40say, to the States.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44But many still assume we're getting the same savings we always did,
0:29:44 > 0:29:46especially because so many of the items are sold
0:29:46 > 0:29:49at what's claimed to be very competitive prices.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53Today, duty-free shops make a lot of noise
0:29:53 > 0:29:56about their special offers and their special deals.
0:29:56 > 0:30:00But when we're doing our shopping, how much should we put in our basket
0:30:00 > 0:30:02and how much should we leave on the shelf?
0:30:02 > 0:30:05Personal finance expert, Sarah Pennells,
0:30:05 > 0:30:09understands how tricky it can be to work out which are the best deals.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12I think, for a lot of us, by the time we get to the airport,
0:30:12 > 0:30:13we're already in holiday mode,
0:30:13 > 0:30:15we feel like our holiday has started.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18And when you're going through the airport shops,
0:30:18 > 0:30:19you see all those signs saying,
0:30:19 > 0:30:21"You're saving money, it's duty free."
0:30:21 > 0:30:23But just bear in mind, just because the sign says
0:30:23 > 0:30:26you're saving a tenner or whatever and it's a real bargain
0:30:26 > 0:30:28doesn't actually mean it's the case.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34So we put Sarah's theory to the test, and went duty-free shopping.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37We compared the prices of some well-known brands on sale
0:30:37 > 0:30:40at World Duty Free - the UK's leading duty-free retailer -
0:30:40 > 0:30:43with what you'd pay for the same items online
0:30:43 > 0:30:46or on the high street. So, which would work out cheaper?
0:30:48 > 0:30:50Take this designer men's fragrance.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52At duty free, on the day we checked,
0:30:52 > 0:30:54it was on offer for £34.25.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57That was described as a discounted price,
0:30:57 > 0:31:01but we found it cheaper at Tesco, where it was £28,
0:31:01 > 0:31:05£6.25 less than in the duty-free shop,
0:31:05 > 0:31:07which, for some of you, came as quite a shock.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10It's surprising, cos whenever you go to duty free,
0:31:10 > 0:31:11you expect it to be a lot cheaper.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13That's a big saving.
0:31:13 > 0:31:17Next, we compared some of the deals on big-name alcohol brands.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20Pushing the boat out with this well-known champagne,
0:31:20 > 0:31:25when we checked, would cost you £42.49 at duty free.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27But swap the airport for Sainsbury's,
0:31:27 > 0:31:30and the same size bottle was on sale for £37,
0:31:30 > 0:31:32more than a fiver cheaper.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35That is a significant difference.
0:31:35 > 0:31:36I'm surprised, to be honest.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38You'd think it would be cheaper at duty free.
0:31:38 > 0:31:39But that's not the case.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43This big-name liqueur - £16.49 at duty free,
0:31:43 > 0:31:48but just £12 at Tesco - a saving of £4.49.
0:31:48 > 0:31:50Yeah, it's a lot cheaper, isn't it?
0:31:50 > 0:31:51That's a massive saving.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53And it wasn't just the supermarkets
0:31:53 > 0:31:56that could beat the duty-free stores.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59This men's scent was on offer at duty free
0:31:59 > 0:32:02with a discounted price tag of £37.55.
0:32:02 > 0:32:06But Boots had the same fragrance on offer at £31.50 -
0:32:06 > 0:32:09that's over £6 cheaper.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12Wow. Wow. A lot cheaper, eh?
0:32:12 > 0:32:14But perhaps the most surprising offer we came across
0:32:14 > 0:32:17was for this luxury brand of gin.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20Buying it at the duty-free shop for £24.99
0:32:20 > 0:32:22would, according to the price tag,
0:32:22 > 0:32:26save us £6.25 on the average high-street cost.
0:32:26 > 0:32:27But on the day we checked,
0:32:27 > 0:32:29all the six biggest supermarket chains
0:32:29 > 0:32:30were selling it cheaper -
0:32:30 > 0:32:33in one case, for just £18.
0:32:33 > 0:32:35That's £6.99 less than in duty free.
0:32:38 > 0:32:39But our research did also throw up
0:32:39 > 0:32:42some genuine bargains on offer at World Duty Free.
0:32:42 > 0:32:44This ladies' scent, for example -
0:32:44 > 0:32:48the cheapest high-street price we could find it for was £64.
0:32:48 > 0:32:54But in duty free, it was nearly £20 less, at £44.95.
0:32:54 > 0:32:59Likewise, this men's eau de toilette was £9.90 cheaper at duty free
0:32:59 > 0:33:00than anywhere else we checked.
0:33:00 > 0:33:05And other sure-fire duty-free winners are cigarettes and tobacco.
0:33:05 > 0:33:06Because of the health risks,
0:33:06 > 0:33:09these products carry a lot of government duty
0:33:09 > 0:33:11to discourage us from smoking.
0:33:11 > 0:33:12But once that duty's removed,
0:33:12 > 0:33:14if you're taking them outside of the EU,
0:33:14 > 0:33:17you're likely to make big savings.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20As an example, on the day we checked, World Duty Free
0:33:20 > 0:33:25was selling 200 Lambert & Butler king size cigarettes for £57
0:33:25 > 0:33:28to anyone travelling outside of the EU,
0:33:28 > 0:33:33but the cheapest we could find them for elsewhere was £84.64.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37When we asked World Duty Free about our findings,
0:33:37 > 0:33:38the store told us that,
0:33:38 > 0:33:41while supermarkets and high-street retailers
0:33:41 > 0:33:44might lay on "limited time only" low-price deals,
0:33:44 > 0:33:46with prices fluctuating over time,
0:33:46 > 0:33:49a duty-free retailer is able to offer
0:33:49 > 0:33:52"fantastic value consistently all year".
0:33:52 > 0:33:53It said in a retail landscape
0:33:53 > 0:33:56dominated by the "tactical discounting" of big stores,
0:33:56 > 0:33:59it doesn't claim its products will always be the cheapest,
0:33:59 > 0:34:02but compares its prices to the usual ones on the high street,
0:34:02 > 0:34:05when specific products are not on promotion.
0:34:05 > 0:34:06And it said our checks,
0:34:06 > 0:34:09done in the week of Black Friday in November,
0:34:09 > 0:34:11were at a high point of the year for discounting,
0:34:11 > 0:34:15when high-street prices "change on a daily basis".
0:34:15 > 0:34:17The store went on to say that under its price promise,
0:34:17 > 0:34:19it will refund the difference
0:34:19 > 0:34:22if you find identical goods cheaper on the high street
0:34:22 > 0:34:24within 28 days.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29So, should we spend or save at the airport?
0:34:29 > 0:34:31Sarah Pennells has this advice to help you decide
0:34:31 > 0:34:34whether what you're about to buy is a true bargain or not.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38Next time you're going on holiday,
0:34:38 > 0:34:40I'd say that you should do all your research
0:34:40 > 0:34:42before you get to the airport, if you can.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45Check the prices of things that you buy regularly,
0:34:45 > 0:34:47so you know whether you're actually making a saving.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50Don't buy something just because you're in the airport
0:34:50 > 0:34:51and you're already in holiday mode.
0:34:51 > 0:34:53You can always check the prices
0:34:53 > 0:34:55using your smartphone in the airport
0:34:55 > 0:34:58and, for goodness' sake, don't just fall for the fact
0:34:58 > 0:35:00that it says it's a bargain and you're saving money.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02You may find you're making no saving,
0:35:02 > 0:35:05or even spending more than you need to.
0:35:12 > 0:35:16Our travel expert, Simon Calder, is sharing his top tips
0:35:16 > 0:35:18on favourite destinations across the globe.
0:35:20 > 0:35:21This time - Turkey.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25It's one of the great crossroads of the world,
0:35:25 > 0:35:27where Asia meets Europe,
0:35:27 > 0:35:31and, on an average day, an astonishing 100,000 visitors arrive
0:35:31 > 0:35:36from abroad to enjoy the beaches, culture, and fabulous food.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40Before you're allowed on the plane to Turkey, you'll need one of these.
0:35:40 > 0:35:45It's an e-visa and it costs 20 US dollars - that's about £13 or £14 -
0:35:45 > 0:35:48but it's quick and easy to apply for online.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51But beware - there's lots of unofficial sites
0:35:51 > 0:35:54that could charge you an awful lot more.
0:35:54 > 0:35:58For instance, I've just tapped "visa Turkey" into a search engine,
0:35:58 > 0:36:01and the very first result is an agent
0:36:01 > 0:36:04that wants to charge me five times the going rate.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08So make sure you're dealing with the official Republic of Turkey.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12Once you've made it onto Turkish soil,
0:36:12 > 0:36:15it's worth seeing more than just the sea.
0:36:15 > 0:36:19Forget those organised, expensive package excursions
0:36:19 > 0:36:23and, instead, do it yourself with the help of Turkey's very efficient,
0:36:23 > 0:36:28reliable and clean intercity buses.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30They're also very cheap.
0:36:30 > 0:36:34Take the 75-minute journey from the resort of Kusadasi
0:36:34 > 0:36:36to the intriguing city of Izmir.
0:36:36 > 0:36:41It costs less than £4, you'll get in-bus movies,
0:36:41 > 0:36:43an attendant will bring you drinks and snacks.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46You might even get free Wi-Fi.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50Izmir is Turkey's third-largest city,
0:36:50 > 0:36:52with plenty to keep you busy on a day trip,
0:36:52 > 0:36:56and there's one sight that won't cost you a single penny.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59Tired of pounding the streets?
0:36:59 > 0:37:03Achieve some altitude with the help of the beautiful Asansor.
0:37:03 > 0:37:08This century-old lift is free to ride and, at the top,
0:37:08 > 0:37:11provides some of the finest views of the city.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22We're back at our pop-up shop.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26Next in line to see our travel expert Simon Calder
0:37:26 > 0:37:27were Sam and Jenny Smith.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30They came to see if Simon could shed any further light
0:37:30 > 0:37:33on why, after paying extra to pre-book seats
0:37:33 > 0:37:34on a flight to New York,
0:37:34 > 0:37:37they HADN'T got the ones they were expecting.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40We paid £26 each way, each,
0:37:40 > 0:37:45which worked out at £104, and we selected our seat
0:37:45 > 0:37:47from a configuration they'd got on the internet.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50They looked to be near to the bulkhead,
0:37:50 > 0:37:54and we thought, whilst it's not an extra-legroom seat,
0:37:54 > 0:37:58normally there's that little extra where you can turn your ankles
0:37:58 > 0:37:59a bit on a long flight.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02We went down to Heathrow, got on the plane,
0:38:02 > 0:38:04and they showed us to our seat,
0:38:04 > 0:38:06and instead of getting on this lovely bulkhead seat,
0:38:06 > 0:38:08we were in the row behind.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11At the end of the day, we paid this money, £104 -
0:38:11 > 0:38:14we didn't get what we'd booked.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17I would never, ever pay a penny
0:38:17 > 0:38:19to sit in a particular seat on a plane.
0:38:19 > 0:38:21I know I've got my ticket,
0:38:21 > 0:38:23so unless it's overbooked, I know I'm going to get a seat.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26Mind you, if you are going to book your seats,
0:38:26 > 0:38:29and I know lots of people want to do,
0:38:29 > 0:38:30pay attention to the seat charts.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33I've actually had a look at the plane you were on.
0:38:33 > 0:38:38You were trying to book those seats there, D and E,
0:38:38 > 0:38:41but, in fact, you were booking them in the row behind.
0:38:41 > 0:38:44They've drawn little, tiny black faint lines,
0:38:44 > 0:38:46which, with your magnifying glass, you'll be able to see.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50So you thought you had those ones. In fact, you had those ones.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52When the airline eventually got back to you,
0:38:52 > 0:38:55and said you can't have any money back because that's what you booked,
0:38:55 > 0:38:57they were right.
0:38:57 > 0:39:00Just suppose you'd been going for some extra-legroom seats,
0:39:00 > 0:39:03you would have had to pay an awful lot more than £26.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06The going rate at the moment is about £50 for those seats.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09So, I think you can just put it down to experience, I'm afraid.
0:39:09 > 0:39:13Buyer beware, and of course, you have the prerogative
0:39:13 > 0:39:14to take your money elsewhere.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17Thankfully, the route you flew on, London to New York,
0:39:17 > 0:39:19is the most competitive
0:39:19 > 0:39:21international air route in the world,
0:39:21 > 0:39:23and there's about eight great airlines
0:39:23 > 0:39:26that will take you on the same journey.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31But Simon had more positive news for Caroline Murphy,
0:39:31 > 0:39:33who came in with the same problem
0:39:33 > 0:39:35we heard about earlier in the programme.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37She'd been left out of pocket
0:39:37 > 0:39:39when a flight home from Turkey was delayed.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42It was a couple of years ago, on the way back.
0:39:42 > 0:39:47We got onto the plane and we were on the plane for nearly two hours.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50- Was it a UK airline? - It was, yeah.
0:39:50 > 0:39:52OK, that's good news so far. So, tell us what happened.
0:39:52 > 0:39:56They sat us in the airport for nearly two hours again.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59So the plane was broken, you sat on it like lemons.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02- Yeah.- They eventually said, "Right, everybody off.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04"We'll put you in the terminal, still trying to fix the thing..."
0:40:04 > 0:40:07They gave us some food,
0:40:07 > 0:40:09then eventually they got us into a hotel,
0:40:09 > 0:40:12- which was, like, one in the morning. - Oh, no!
0:40:12 > 0:40:16We were just exhausted, and I was a day late for work.
0:40:16 > 0:40:18- So you missed a day's work? - I did, yeah.
0:40:18 > 0:40:19OK, so the airline then came around
0:40:19 > 0:40:21and gave you your compensation, I presume?
0:40:21 > 0:40:23No, I didn't get nothing.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26- Because...- Didn't even get a letter of apology.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29Well, you can expect quite a lot more than that.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32If it's a delay caused by a technical problem,
0:40:32 > 0:40:34the law absolutely, strictly says
0:40:34 > 0:40:36they owe you compensation,
0:40:36 > 0:40:39as long as you're either flying from an EU airport,
0:40:39 > 0:40:44which you weren't, or you're on an EU airline, which you were,
0:40:44 > 0:40:47so they owe you 400 euros for that.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50- Right!- It doesn't matter too much if you haven't still got the ticket,
0:40:50 > 0:40:53as long as you've got some record of having made the trip,
0:40:53 > 0:40:56so well worth doing, they owe you the money,
0:40:56 > 0:41:01and, clearly, they didn't tell you about it, but it's yours to claim.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04Good luck with it, and don't give up. It's your money.
0:41:04 > 0:41:06Yeah, it is. Thank you very much.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11If you want any extra information about how to deal with
0:41:11 > 0:41:14problems that you've had with a flight, say, or an airline,
0:41:14 > 0:41:15whether you think they're trying
0:41:15 > 0:41:18to dodge the compensation you think you're due,
0:41:18 > 0:41:20or you feel that you haven't been treated fairly,
0:41:20 > 0:41:23there's plenty of very useful advice on our website...
0:41:26 > 0:41:28..where you'll also find information
0:41:28 > 0:41:32on some of the other issues that our experts tackled at our pop-up shop.
0:41:38 > 0:41:40If you have a story you'd like us to investigate,
0:41:40 > 0:41:45then get in touch with us via our Facebook page,
0:41:45 > 0:41:49our website,
0:41:49 > 0:41:54or e-mail us.
0:41:54 > 0:41:56Or, if you want to send us a letter,
0:41:56 > 0:41:58then our address is...
0:42:10 > 0:42:13Well, as someone who can never resist
0:42:13 > 0:42:14a bit of retail therapy at the airport -
0:42:14 > 0:42:17in fact, these were bought on the way out here -
0:42:17 > 0:42:19I was really interested to see that I might get a better bargain
0:42:19 > 0:42:22at the supermarket rather than at duty free.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25But, I suppose, in a way, I shouldn't be surprised
0:42:25 > 0:42:28because, at the airport, we're a kind of captive market, aren't we?
0:42:28 > 0:42:29So, I suppose it begs the question -
0:42:29 > 0:42:32why would they always give us the better bargain, anyway?
0:42:32 > 0:42:35And the other thing is that it just goes to show what we always say -
0:42:35 > 0:42:37don't take everything at face value.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39And, of course, smartphones and tablets
0:42:39 > 0:42:42mean that we can ALL do our own price comparisons these days
0:42:42 > 0:42:44right on the spot, so it's easy to see
0:42:44 > 0:42:46when you're REALLY making a saving.
0:42:46 > 0:42:48Well, I'm afraid that's about it from us for today,
0:42:48 > 0:42:50but please do keep all your letters and e-mails coming.
0:42:50 > 0:42:54And, of course, let us know if, in spite of what the courts have ruled,
0:42:54 > 0:42:58an airline tries to deny you compensation after a lengthy delay.
0:42:58 > 0:43:00Well, as I say, that's where we have to leave it for today,
0:43:00 > 0:43:03but we will be back investigating even more of your stories very soon,
0:43:03 > 0:43:07- so until then, from all of us, bye-bye.- Bye-bye.- Bye.