0:00:02 > 0:00:04We asked you who has 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 > 0:00:12Obviously I'm not going to risk my child's life.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14So I had to get off the flight.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17I am absolutely devastated for my grandson,
0:00:17 > 0:00:21who's not getting the holiday I wanted him to have.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24Whether it's a deliberate rip-off, a simple mistake,
0:00:24 > 0:00:26or a catch in the small print,
0:00:26 > 0:00:30we'll find out why you're out of pocket and what you can do about it.
0:00:30 > 0:00:34Your stories, your money - this is Rip-Off Britain.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39Hello and thank you so much for joining us for a sunny edition
0:00:39 > 0:00:42of Rip-Off Britain. Now, this series, we're in Tenerife,
0:00:42 > 0:00:45getting to grips with more of the travel and holiday stories
0:00:45 > 0:00:48that you've asked us to investigate on your behalf.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52And while thankfully most trips away go perfectly smoothly,
0:00:52 > 0:00:55today we'll be sharing some really quite shocking examples
0:00:55 > 0:00:58of just how quickly things can go very seriously wrong.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00And that's because, as we'll see,
0:01:00 > 0:01:03if you or someone with whom you're travelling falls ill
0:01:03 > 0:01:05or has an accident which, let's face it,
0:01:05 > 0:01:08is something that can happen like that, in just a second,
0:01:08 > 0:01:11then it's not only the holiday that might be ruined,
0:01:11 > 0:01:15the consequences can last way after you've already returned home.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18And while of course you can never entirely remove the risk
0:01:18 > 0:01:20of that sort of thing happening, there are ways that
0:01:20 > 0:01:22you can give yourself the best chance of staying safe.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26So, as we hear a real mix of dramatic experience,
0:01:26 > 0:01:30get ready for some tips and advice to help you do just that.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35Coming up - how the shortage of a vital health jab needed
0:01:35 > 0:01:38for some top destinations could mean holiday-makers
0:01:38 > 0:01:41who plan to go there will end up having to pay more.
0:01:42 > 0:01:43It was shocking and it was stressful
0:01:43 > 0:01:46that this immunisation wasn't available.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49We'd not been made aware when we booked the holiday
0:01:49 > 0:01:50that there was an issue.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55And after cases of an illness spread by insect bites
0:01:55 > 0:01:57have rocketed across Europe,
0:01:57 > 0:02:01we've got everything you need to know to keep yourself safe.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04The symptoms can really vary between different people.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06Some people can get it and not even know they've got it.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09Other people can develop very serious symptoms.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15Thanks to global immunisation programmes,
0:02:15 > 0:02:16some of the world's deadliest diseases
0:02:16 > 0:02:19have thankfully been consigned to history.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22But there are still parts of the world where thousands and
0:02:22 > 0:02:25thousands of people die from illnesses that have largely been
0:02:25 > 0:02:26wiped out in other countries.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29So if you're headed to one of those areas,
0:02:29 > 0:02:32then it really is essential that you make sure you're protected against
0:02:32 > 0:02:35catching anything nasty by getting the right set of injections
0:02:35 > 0:02:37before you go.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40But with supplies of one particular vaccination running low,
0:02:40 > 0:02:42some holiday-makers are opting to travel
0:02:42 > 0:02:45without getting the recommended set of jabs,
0:02:45 > 0:02:47which in itself creates a much greater risk
0:02:47 > 0:02:51than they might realise, and not just to themselves.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57Whether you're on a package deal to Brazil
0:02:57 > 0:02:59or planning a trek through Thailand,
0:02:59 > 0:03:03there are still plenty of diseases holiday-makers may be exposed to
0:03:03 > 0:03:06when travelling to far-flung places.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09And one of the most common of those is hepatitis A.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11Especially nasty and highly contagious,
0:03:11 > 0:03:15it can lead to severe sickness and even liver failure,
0:03:15 > 0:03:19which is why the advice has long been to get yourself vaccinated
0:03:19 > 0:03:21before heading off to somewhere exotic.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27And of course with fares to such places
0:03:27 > 0:03:29being increasingly affordable,
0:03:29 > 0:03:32a growing number of us are doing exactly that,
0:03:32 > 0:03:35including supermarket manager Darren Monks.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37In early 2017,
0:03:37 > 0:03:41he was in the thick of organising his wedding to his fiancee Danielle,
0:03:41 > 0:03:44and his job was to book their honeymoon.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46So, keen to make the experience extra special,
0:03:46 > 0:03:49he chose a beach holiday to Mexico.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53As a couple, obviously we wanted some time together to, you know,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56celebrate the wedding and obviously to relax after the wedding,
0:03:56 > 0:03:58and it just looked like the perfect holiday.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00Obviously it was something different, it wasn't in Europe,
0:04:00 > 0:04:02where we would normally go with the children.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06So, yeah, pretty much it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
0:04:06 > 0:04:08to enjoy it, really, enjoy the holiday.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14Attracted by the white sandy beaches and near-guaranteed good weather,
0:04:14 > 0:04:17Darren went ahead and booked the honeymoon online.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20The paperwork came through and they were all set to fly
0:04:20 > 0:04:21the day after the wedding.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23But as the day came closer,
0:04:23 > 0:04:27he realised he'd forgotten something really important.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29Having spoken to a few people around me, you know,
0:04:29 > 0:04:31saying we were going to Mexico,
0:04:31 > 0:04:33we realised that we needed the vaccines,
0:04:33 > 0:04:36which is something that we had to sort out pretty sharpish.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40Mexico is just one of the popular destinations for which
0:04:40 > 0:04:44it's recommended that you get vaccinated against hepatitis A.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48Other areas include the Indian subcontinent, Africa,
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Central and South America, and the Far East.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55The problem was, when both Darren and Danielle
0:04:55 > 0:04:57went to their respective GPs,
0:04:57 > 0:05:02they were told that supplies of that particular vaccine had run out.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05So I was told that there was a problem with the hepatitis A vaccine
0:05:05 > 0:05:07and it was a shortage.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10The nurse at that time, she issued me with a pamphlet
0:05:10 > 0:05:14and information from the NHS stating the risks involved
0:05:14 > 0:05:17on going on holiday if not having the vaccine.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20I then left, obviously...
0:05:20 > 0:05:23..thinking that I could potentially get my vaccine at another doctor's,
0:05:23 > 0:05:25another practice or even privately.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29But I'm afraid it wasn't quite that simple.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32Far from being a brief localised difficulty,
0:05:32 > 0:05:36there was a global shortage of the crucial vaccine and, at the time,
0:05:36 > 0:05:40most GPs and private clinics were running very low on stocks.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43We tried several...
0:05:43 > 0:05:48..you know, out-of-hours clinics, we looked online and we could see that,
0:05:48 > 0:05:49yeah, there was an issue.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54Now, within the travel industry, the shortage of the hepatitis A vaccine,
0:05:54 > 0:05:58which I'm afraid is ongoing, had been well-known for some time.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01In recent years, demand for it had boomed,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04not least because of a rise in the number of hepatitis outbreaks
0:06:04 > 0:06:06right across the world.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Between May 2016 and May 2017,
0:06:09 > 0:06:11there was an unusually high number
0:06:11 > 0:06:13of new cases in Europe,
0:06:13 > 0:06:14the USA and Chile,
0:06:14 > 0:06:18and manufacturers simply couldn't keep up with the demand.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22So Darren's annoyed that they only found out about all of this
0:06:22 > 0:06:24a few weeks before his honeymoon,
0:06:24 > 0:06:28and that it hadn't been highlighted on the website when he booked.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30It was shocking and it was stressful that, you know,
0:06:30 > 0:06:34the fact that this immunisation, you know, wasn't available.
0:06:34 > 0:06:36We'd not been made aware when we booked the holiday,
0:06:36 > 0:06:38we'd not been made aware in any correspondence
0:06:38 > 0:06:41from the holiday company that there was an issue.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46Darren did eventually find a private travel clinic
0:06:46 > 0:06:49that did have stocks of the vaccine,
0:06:49 > 0:06:52but I'm afraid it was going to cost them £300,
0:06:52 > 0:06:55which was money that they simply hadn't budgeted for.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58So the couple decided to take the risk
0:06:58 > 0:07:01and travel without being vaccinated.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03And, you know, they're not alone in that.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07The international shortage has led to a lot of people travelling
0:07:07 > 0:07:09to their destinations unprotected.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14Hello, Nomad Travel, Amy speaking. How can I help?
0:07:15 > 0:07:18This is a travel clinic in central Manchester.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20Hi, I'm Emily. I'm one of the nurses.
0:07:20 > 0:07:21Do you want to come through?
0:07:21 > 0:07:23Jamie Crell is weeks away from going travelling
0:07:23 > 0:07:27to a part of the world where really he needs a range of vaccinations,
0:07:27 > 0:07:29including hepatitis A.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31- So, you're off to Cambodia and Thailand?- Yeah.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33Is that right? Yeah.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35But nurse Emily has some bad news.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39So these are sort of the normal vaccines recommended for travel.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41Sort of the hepatitis A, the tetanus
0:07:41 > 0:07:43- and the typhoid are the standard ones.- Yeah.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46- So both of those are through contaminated food and water.- Yeah.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49- Unfortunately we've got a shortage of the...- Yeah.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51You've probably heard, yeah, but we have got a shortage
0:07:51 > 0:07:53of the hepatitis A at the moment.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56- So we can't actually give you that one, unfortunately.- Yeah.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00Jamie's able to get other vaccines recommended for anyone visiting
0:08:00 > 0:08:04Cambodia and Thailand, but like many travel clinics up and down the UK,
0:08:04 > 0:08:08Emily doesn't have hepatitis A vaccine in stock.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11Occasionally we have been getting sort of little dribs and drabs
0:08:11 > 0:08:13of the vaccine and then we'll have it available,
0:08:13 > 0:08:16but it'll go really quickly cos it is one of the most common ones
0:08:16 > 0:08:19recommended for most destinations.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21- All done.- Cheers, perfect.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23So without the vaccine,
0:08:23 > 0:08:26all Emily can do is offer holiday-makers advice
0:08:26 > 0:08:28on how to avoid hepatitis A,
0:08:28 > 0:08:30the symptoms of which can be pretty nasty.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33Even though it's not usually a fatal disease,
0:08:33 > 0:08:37it will make you feel pretty rough for a few weeks. Erm...
0:08:37 > 0:08:39But it's also contagious,
0:08:39 > 0:08:42so if somebody was to go away, contract hepatitis A, come back,
0:08:42 > 0:08:45they can then pass it on to family members, colleagues.
0:08:45 > 0:08:46You know, if they give it to their kids,
0:08:46 > 0:08:49there's then outbreaks in schools potentially.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53You know, that's the sort of public health concern with hepatitis A.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58So to reduce the risk of catching the disease where it's prevalent,
0:08:58 > 0:08:59Emily has a few tips,
0:08:59 > 0:09:03which begin with only eating thoroughly cooked hot food.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07In general, things like making sure that food's really well cooked,
0:09:07 > 0:09:09not eating things like salads that, you know,
0:09:09 > 0:09:12anything that hasn't been washed very well or it hasn't been cooked.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14You're relying on people having washed their hands before
0:09:14 > 0:09:16they've prepared your food, basically.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18And if they haven't done that, then you can get ill.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20So generally if something's really hot,
0:09:20 > 0:09:21it's too hot to eat straightaway,
0:09:21 > 0:09:24that's going to have killed any bugs that might be in there.
0:09:24 > 0:09:30So avoiding buffets and food served cold is a good way to stay safe.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33And Emily recommends being extra careful when drinking water.
0:09:33 > 0:09:34Water's really important.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36So it's important to either buy bottled water
0:09:36 > 0:09:39or there are kind of filter bottles that you can buy,
0:09:39 > 0:09:41where you can just fill up with tap water and drink it through
0:09:41 > 0:09:43a good filter that kills things off.
0:09:44 > 0:09:46Emily's next patient is Tom Southern.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50He's here for vaccines for a trek through a remote jungle in Thailand.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53Whereabouts in Thailand is it that you're going to be?
0:09:53 > 0:09:55So, going to start in Bangkok
0:09:55 > 0:09:58and then to Chiang Mai as well.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01And how long are you in the sort of the jungle region in Chiang Mai?
0:10:01 > 0:10:02Maybe a week in Chiang Mai,
0:10:02 > 0:10:06but I'm thinking about doing a proper, like, four-day trek
0:10:06 > 0:10:09- in the jungle.- OK.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13Tom's been able to get some of the hepatitis A vaccine from his GP,
0:10:13 > 0:10:16but I'm afraid only a child's dose.
0:10:16 > 0:10:17You're quite lucky you've had the hep A.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20I would say that one's probably the bigger thing,
0:10:20 > 0:10:22cos you're definitely going to eat and drink and that one's more
0:10:22 > 0:10:24prevalent through food and water.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26So it's good that you've got that one.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30The other vaccines Tom needs for his jungle adventure include
0:10:30 > 0:10:33jabs for rabies and Japanese encephalitis,
0:10:33 > 0:10:37and those will be setting him back more than £180,
0:10:37 > 0:10:39because while some holiday vaccines,
0:10:39 > 0:10:42including those for hepatitis A and typhoid,
0:10:42 > 0:10:45you can usually get from your GP for free,
0:10:45 > 0:10:49there are others that aren't paid for by the NHS.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52And now in light of the shortage of the hepatitis vaccines,
0:10:52 > 0:10:55and the growing cost to the NHS to provide them,
0:10:55 > 0:10:58the debate has reopened as to whether holiday-makers
0:10:58 > 0:11:02should really be able to get any of these without charge on the NHS,
0:11:02 > 0:11:04and the whole issue is under review.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08Larry Goodyer is a professor at the School of Pharmacy
0:11:08 > 0:11:10at the De Montfort University
0:11:10 > 0:11:14and explains why the review has been instigated.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19There are some vaccines which are free - hepatitis A is one of them.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21There's some vaccines which are not free and you have to pay for,
0:11:21 > 0:11:23like yellow fever.
0:11:23 > 0:11:28And the big question being asked at the moment is, those that are free,
0:11:28 > 0:11:31should they continue to be free?
0:11:31 > 0:11:35Because essentially the NHS might be seen as paying
0:11:35 > 0:11:38for people's holidays or contributing to them.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42In March 2017,
0:11:42 > 0:11:46the NHS Clinical Commissioners identified a variety of savings
0:11:46 > 0:11:49that could be made if the NHS stopped providing
0:11:49 > 0:11:51certain items for free.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53If that happened with travel vaccinations,
0:11:53 > 0:12:00around £9.5 million could be freed up for other priorities.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02The recommendations were put out for consultation
0:12:02 > 0:12:06and Public Health England is expected to announce the result
0:12:06 > 0:12:08in March 2018.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11But Professor Goodyer believes that regardless of the outcome
0:12:11 > 0:12:15of the review, people should consider the cost of vaccinations
0:12:15 > 0:12:17before booking their holiday.
0:12:17 > 0:12:22I believe that people should be factoring in the cost of vaccines
0:12:22 > 0:12:26and the cost of other travel health requirements to their trip,
0:12:26 > 0:12:28and these can vary quite considerably
0:12:28 > 0:12:30depending on what you're doing.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34So the cost of going to the same country in one situation
0:12:34 > 0:12:37could be quite different to another, where you might be going for longer
0:12:37 > 0:12:40and doing something more adventurous.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43Of course, back in Prestwich, Darren hadn't budgeted for
0:12:43 > 0:12:45getting his hepatitis A vaccines,
0:12:45 > 0:12:47which is why after all the costs of the wedding,
0:12:47 > 0:12:51he and Danielle took the decision to travel to Mexico without them.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54Well, I'm glad to say their honeymoon went well
0:12:54 > 0:12:56and they returned in good health.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59But he accepts that paying for jabs may well be an extra cost
0:12:59 > 0:13:01that he'll need to factor into future trips.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04I think when I'm booking my next holiday to somewhere where you need
0:13:04 > 0:13:07travel vaccinations which you've got to pay for,
0:13:07 > 0:13:09I'm going to have to budget that in for my family,
0:13:09 > 0:13:14and that ultimately may influence where I go,
0:13:14 > 0:13:17based on the budget and what the immunisations are going to cost.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28Now, I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that one of the downsides
0:13:28 > 0:13:30of travelling abroad to warmer places
0:13:30 > 0:13:34is the increase in the number of creepy crawlies that seem determined
0:13:34 > 0:13:36to quite literally get under my skin.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40And though most bugs will leave you with no more than a nip or a sting,
0:13:40 > 0:13:43there's one whose bite, if you leave it untreated,
0:13:43 > 0:13:45could leave you needing far more serious treatment
0:13:45 > 0:13:47when you return home.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50But the good news is, there is a way to protect yourself.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53So don't go anywhere until you hear what that is.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Summer holidays aren't just about relaxing by the beach.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01For many people, heading to the countryside for walks,
0:14:01 > 0:14:05picnics and even camping is an ideal way to relax.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08But these outdoor activities come with a health hazard.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13In many holiday hot spots around the UK and Europe,
0:14:13 > 0:14:17ticks are a major and rapidly growing problem.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21These small spider-like creatures bury themselves into your skin
0:14:21 > 0:14:23and can pass on a condition called Lyme disease,
0:14:23 > 0:14:25which, if left untreated,
0:14:25 > 0:14:29can lead to tiredness and muscle pain and perhaps heart problems,
0:14:29 > 0:14:31seizures or even death.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37Veronika Valentova is from the Czech Republic
0:14:37 > 0:14:40and has been in the UK for the last 15 years.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43She lives in Bristol with her two children
0:14:43 > 0:14:46and as a family they love the great outdoors.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48I love being in nature.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51I love being outdoors, you know,
0:14:51 > 0:14:53just walk and look around.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56It just feels great. You feel free.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00My children love nature. Be able to do and explore
0:15:00 > 0:15:03is just much more rewarding than being inside, playing with toys.
0:15:06 > 0:15:11Back in 2016, when Veronika was seven months pregnant with Isabella,
0:15:11 > 0:15:16she took her son Michael on holiday to the Czech Republic to spend time
0:15:16 > 0:15:19with the family and learn more about the country they were from.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24Every morning he would go to Czech preschool, where he would learn
0:15:24 > 0:15:27the language, and every afternoon, we would spend in nature.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31So we would go out in the forest and we would build houses
0:15:31 > 0:15:36from lots of natural stuff like sticks, and we would scout
0:15:36 > 0:15:39and we would play hide-and-seek in the fields.
0:15:39 > 0:15:44You know, just things that we don't get to do very much in England.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48But after one such walk in the countryside,
0:15:48 > 0:15:51Veronika found a tick attached to her skin.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53Something was itching me under my breast
0:15:53 > 0:15:56and I kept scratching it, scratching it, scratching it.
0:15:56 > 0:15:57I was thinking, "What's that?"
0:15:57 > 0:16:01And I just scrapped it away, pulled it and saw it was a tick.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03But obviously without the legs
0:16:03 > 0:16:05because I didn't remove it correctly.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08Veronika wasn't particularly worried
0:16:08 > 0:16:12and continued with her summer holiday, but within a few weeks,
0:16:12 > 0:16:15she started to feel seriously unwell.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18I had severe pain in my pelvis and in my hips.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20It was really hard to walk,
0:16:20 > 0:16:24it was really hard to really get out of bed and do anything
0:16:24 > 0:16:28and I was already 40 weeks pregnant and I thought I've got flu.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32Maybe it's the hot weather and the pregnancy.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36I didn't know really. Just forgot all about the tick bite. Didn't,
0:16:36 > 0:16:39just didn't pop in my head at all.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43Putting her symptoms down to the late stages of pregnancy,
0:16:43 > 0:16:47it was some time before Veronika sought out medical help.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50She had no idea that what she was suffering from
0:16:50 > 0:16:52was most likely Lyme disease,
0:16:52 > 0:16:55caught from the tick that she'd found buried in her skin.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03At the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine,
0:17:03 > 0:17:07Dr James Logan has studied the condition closely over the years.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13Lyme disease is a bacteria which is found inside the tick
0:17:13 > 0:17:16when it's infected and so when it bites,
0:17:16 > 0:17:18it can transmit the bacteria into us.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20Now, the symptoms of Lyme disease can really vary
0:17:20 > 0:17:21between different people.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24Some people can get it and not even know they've got it.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26Other people can develop very severe symptoms,
0:17:26 > 0:17:30and certainly if you have it and it goes untreated for a long period
0:17:30 > 0:17:31of time, it can cause paralysis,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34it can start to affect the internal organs.
0:17:36 > 0:17:41If you have any symptoms within a few days of being bitten by a tick,
0:17:41 > 0:17:43then a course of antibiotics can help.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45But leave it for any length of time
0:17:45 > 0:17:48and there's a risk of long-term damage.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51One of the clues that you might have caught Lyme disease
0:17:51 > 0:17:53is a particular kind of rash.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55One of the telltale signs of Lyme disease
0:17:55 > 0:17:59is a rash called an erythema migrans, or a bull's-eye rash.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02So it's just a red rash that looks like a bull's-eye
0:18:02 > 0:18:04and it starts to spread.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07And if you have that, you definitely have Lyme disease,
0:18:07 > 0:18:10but it's only found in 50% of people that have Lyme disease.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13So if you don't have it, it doesn't mean you don't have Lyme disease.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15Peekaboo!
0:18:15 > 0:18:17Back at home in Bristol,
0:18:17 > 0:18:20shortly after her summer holiday Veronika gave birth to Isabella,
0:18:20 > 0:18:22who is perfectly healthy.
0:18:22 > 0:18:27But she continued to feel very weak and then she noticed that red rash.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31I actually got a rash all over my chest and all over my back.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35And I went to the doctor's, asked about the rash and they said,
0:18:35 > 0:18:37"Oh, you are breast-feeding, you are weak.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39"It's still early days after the delivery.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43"We don't know what it is. It could be just that your immune system
0:18:43 > 0:18:49"is a bit low." So they gave me some steroid cream to put on the rash.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53But sure that it was something more serious,
0:18:53 > 0:18:57Veronika went to see a doctor back home in the Czech Republic,
0:18:57 > 0:19:00who said her long list of symptoms exactly mirrored
0:19:00 > 0:19:02what you could expect with Lyme disease.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04Frustratingly, though,
0:19:04 > 0:19:07here in the UK she's yet to have it formally diagnosed
0:19:07 > 0:19:10as her blood tests have come back negative,
0:19:10 > 0:19:15which, according to Dr Logan, is common in Lyme disease cases.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18One of the tricky things about Lyme disease is that it can be
0:19:18 > 0:19:21quite difficult to diagnose, so there are diagnostic techniques,
0:19:21 > 0:19:25but they don't always give a positive result when they should.
0:19:25 > 0:19:26But it's not just about the diagnostic test,
0:19:26 > 0:19:29it's also about the history of where you've been -
0:19:29 > 0:19:34where have you been on holiday, what have the symptoms been?
0:19:34 > 0:19:36Well, Veronika is in no doubt that it IS Lyme disease
0:19:36 > 0:19:39that she's suffering from. Over the last 18 months,
0:19:39 > 0:19:42she's had to leave her job as a childminder
0:19:42 > 0:19:45and seek help from family and friends like Christina
0:19:45 > 0:19:48to help carry out the simplest of tasks.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51I can see a change almost every day. She's just getting worse.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54It's just getting... The symptoms are getting worse.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58Because I am with her every day, I can actually see it.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01I can see that she's got really bad days.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03You know, she, she's just getting worse.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08I struggle to get out of bed.
0:20:08 > 0:20:13I struggle to just do basic things like making myself breakfast,
0:20:13 > 0:20:17because sometimes I get so weak I can't even carry a bowl with cereal.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19It's just too heavy.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22And sometimes the pain is so crippling
0:20:22 > 0:20:25that you just can't get on. You need so much painkillers
0:20:25 > 0:20:28that make you drowsy and make you even worse than you are.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30And you like feeding Mummy.
0:20:31 > 0:20:32Mm!
0:20:34 > 0:20:36Now, of course there are ticks in the UK
0:20:36 > 0:20:39as well as in holiday destinations abroad.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43Around 6% of the ones found here are estimated to carry Lyme disease,
0:20:43 > 0:20:47whereas in Central Europe, the figure is around 20%.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50And with the number of ticks increasing by as much as 70%
0:20:50 > 0:20:54in the last ten years, you can see why it's feared that
0:20:54 > 0:20:56holiday-makers to European countries,
0:20:56 > 0:20:58where the tiny creatures are most common,
0:20:58 > 0:21:00face a growing risk of being bitten
0:21:00 > 0:21:02and possibly contracting the disease.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07In France, where 17 million Brits visit every year,
0:21:07 > 0:21:10ticks have been described as a major health issue
0:21:10 > 0:21:14after an increase in cases of Lyme disease over the last ten years.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18There were 27,000 recorded in 2016 alone.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21Indeed, so seriously is the risk considered for tourists
0:21:21 > 0:21:25that an app has been launched called Signalement Tique
0:21:25 > 0:21:28which translates as "tick alert".
0:21:28 > 0:21:30With the help of people registering locations
0:21:30 > 0:21:32where they've been bitten,
0:21:32 > 0:21:36it's been designed to build up a map of the areas it's best to avoid.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38An English version recently came out
0:21:38 > 0:21:42so that non-French-speaking visitors can use it too.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44In other destinations, however,
0:21:44 > 0:21:47you might just need to keep your wits about you.
0:21:47 > 0:21:48So, back in his lab
0:21:48 > 0:21:51at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54Dr Logan has advice on what to look out for.
0:21:56 > 0:21:57If you're in the countryside,
0:21:57 > 0:22:00and particularly if you're in an area where there's lots of deer
0:22:00 > 0:22:03and there's fairly sort of long, longish grass,
0:22:03 > 0:22:06that's the kind of place where you're likely to pick up a tick.
0:22:06 > 0:22:07And anybody can pick up a tick.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09They do a behaviour called questing.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11So they climb to the edge of vegetation
0:22:11 > 0:22:12and they put their front legs out
0:22:12 > 0:22:14and as you walk past, they'll cling on.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18Once that the tick has found a place on your skin
0:22:18 > 0:22:20in which to bury itself,
0:22:20 > 0:22:23it's then than it can potentially pass on Lyme disease,
0:22:23 > 0:22:25and Dr Logan has drafted in an assistant
0:22:25 > 0:22:28to demonstrate how they do it.
0:22:28 > 0:22:29So we're just going to put the tick
0:22:29 > 0:22:31onto the start line of your hand here.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34And what it should do is start to climb upwards.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36That's what we call questing behaviour.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39And it does that because it's trying to find a place to feed on
0:22:39 > 0:22:42on your blood, essentially, a nice, warm, sweaty place.
0:22:42 > 0:22:44So it has these sort of sensing organs
0:22:44 > 0:22:46on its legs called the Haller's organ,
0:22:46 > 0:22:48and it uses that to detect carbon dioxide
0:22:48 > 0:22:50and other chemicals given off the skin.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53So your arm at the moment smells really attractive to a tick.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55And you can see, actually, it's turned around
0:22:55 > 0:22:57and it's starting to head north now, isn't it?
0:22:57 > 0:23:01So if you're planning to venture into the countryside this year,
0:23:01 > 0:23:05either in the UK or in Europe, James advises some simple precautions
0:23:05 > 0:23:07to keep the ticks at bay.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11So there are lots of ways that you can protect yourself against ticks.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13So you can tuck your trousers into your socks,
0:23:13 > 0:23:16which stops them being able to get in. You can wear wellies as well.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18And of course if it's the middle of summer and it's really hot,
0:23:18 > 0:23:21you can use insect repellents and they work really well,
0:23:21 > 0:23:25so you can spray them on the skin or on your clothing.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28As Dr Logan has demonstrated before,
0:23:28 > 0:23:31the most effective repellents are the ones that contain deet.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34It smells quite nice to us, actually, doesn't it?
0:23:34 > 0:23:38But to a tick, hopefully, it won't smell very nice.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42Once deet has been applied, the tick will quickly change its mind
0:23:42 > 0:23:44and be repelled away from your skin.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46So it's definitely not as active, this one, is it?
0:23:46 > 0:23:48- No.- It's slowly making its way up,
0:23:48 > 0:23:51but it's actually starting to go sideways now.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53And it's not sticking its legs out,
0:23:53 > 0:23:56you know, it's not actually doing that sort of characteristic
0:23:56 > 0:23:58sort of questing behaviour.
0:23:58 > 0:23:59So that's three minutes.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01The repellent was applied down to this line here,
0:24:01 > 0:24:03on your arm, this middle line.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05It hasn't even crossed that line.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09So it absolutely is being repelled by this, so this passes the test.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11This repellent works against ticks.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15And if the worst happens and you do find a tick on your body,
0:24:15 > 0:24:18here's how to get rid of it safely.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21So the best way to remove a tick is to use a very,
0:24:21 > 0:24:24very fine pair of tweezers, not the ones you pluck your eyebrows with,
0:24:24 > 0:24:27but a very fine pair of tweezers that you can buy in
0:24:27 > 0:24:28sort of outdoor shops.
0:24:28 > 0:24:33Grab the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull upward,
0:24:33 > 0:24:35quite firmly upwards.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38So, no twisting with the tweezers.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40You can also buy tools that kind of look like
0:24:40 > 0:24:43a sort of claw of a hammer, for example,
0:24:43 > 0:24:47and you can use those to grab the tick, again, near the skin,
0:24:47 > 0:24:49and with those ones you do twist.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53So those are the two main best methods to remove a tick.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58Perhaps the most important thing to remember when removing a tick
0:24:58 > 0:25:00is not to kill or try to harm it
0:25:00 > 0:25:03as this can cause the tick to secrete more of
0:25:03 > 0:25:05its toxins into your bloodstream.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08That may well have happened to Veronika when she scraped
0:25:08 > 0:25:12the tick off her skin, something she now really regrets.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14If I could take the time back,
0:25:14 > 0:25:17I would be much more aware about ticks,
0:25:17 > 0:25:19how to prevent ticks in the first place,
0:25:19 > 0:25:24if you have got bitten, how to remove the tick safely
0:25:24 > 0:25:27and what to look for after.
0:25:27 > 0:25:32So if a week after I got bitten by a tick,
0:25:32 > 0:25:38after that I got flu-like symptoms, I know I need treatment now...
0:25:38 > 0:25:40..immediately.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45And while Veronika continues to struggle with the consequences
0:25:45 > 0:25:48of being bitten, she wants to raise awareness
0:25:48 > 0:25:52so that no other holiday-maker has to deal with that too.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56A year ago, I was a completely healthy, fit mother,
0:25:56 > 0:25:58who just would never stop, you know,
0:25:58 > 0:26:01I loved my job, I looked after children, you know?
0:26:01 > 0:26:04I was running every day and I was just happy.
0:26:04 > 0:26:11And a year later, I'm 35 and I feel like I'm 70 years old.
0:26:20 > 0:26:21Still to come on Rip-Off Britain,
0:26:21 > 0:26:26our travel experts are tackling your holiday problems to do with
0:26:26 > 0:26:27everything from lost luggage
0:26:27 > 0:26:32to flight delays at our annual pop-up shop.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35So I would argue that as a gesture of goodwill,
0:26:35 > 0:26:39the airline should be giving you that money back.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44Our travel expert, Simon Calder,
0:26:44 > 0:26:47is full of the secrets that save you money on your travels.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51He is full of tips on everything from how to avoid the crowds
0:26:51 > 0:26:54to the best way to steer clear of those tourist traps.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56This time, South Africa.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02Bleak midwinter in the UK spells the height of summer in South Africa.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05And with flights from Britain surprisingly affordable,
0:27:05 > 0:27:08a holiday there could be more within reach than you think.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11But make sure that you've got the correct paperwork sorted out
0:27:11 > 0:27:12well in advance of your trip.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15Plenty of families head for South Africa but very sadly
0:27:15 > 0:27:19some of them get no further than the airport check-in desk.
0:27:19 > 0:27:24Strict rules intended to combat child trafficking mean that every
0:27:24 > 0:27:29traveller under 18 must have an unabridged birth certificate.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32And it's the full, unabridged version that is needed
0:27:32 > 0:27:34with both parents' details listed.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36Without this, you're not going anywhere.
0:27:36 > 0:27:41And unless both natural parents are travelling with the child,
0:27:41 > 0:27:45it gets even more complicated, with legal affidavits required,
0:27:45 > 0:27:49so do your homework, and bear in mind that this applies
0:27:49 > 0:27:53even if you're only changing planes in South Africa
0:27:53 > 0:27:56en route to another southern African nation.
0:27:56 > 0:27:57Thank you.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02But the hassle of getting into the country is certainly worth it.
0:28:02 > 0:28:05And if wildlife is your thing, or quite frankly even if it isn't,
0:28:05 > 0:28:07booking a safari is a must,
0:28:07 > 0:28:10as the country has lots of record-breaking animals,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13including the cheetah, the fastest land mammal,
0:28:13 > 0:28:16the largest bird, the ostrich,
0:28:16 > 0:28:18the tallest animal, the giraffe,
0:28:18 > 0:28:21and of course the largest land mammal, elephants.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25South Africa is a marvellous destination for close encounters
0:28:25 > 0:28:29with wildlife, and because most of the National Parks
0:28:29 > 0:28:30are free of malaria,
0:28:30 > 0:28:35it's a great family-friendly safari destination.
0:28:35 > 0:28:39However, mosquitoes can carry all manner of other nasty diseases.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41So one word - repellent.
0:28:41 > 0:28:46No, not me, what to slap on as sunset approaches.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48And once off the safari track,
0:28:48 > 0:28:52getting about the rest of the country by car is straightforward.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55South Africa has the longest wine route in the world,
0:28:55 > 0:28:58stretching from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01The route spans more than 530 miles,
0:29:01 > 0:29:03with more vineyards than you can shake a stick at.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06Though as a tourist you'll stand out like a sore thumb,
0:29:06 > 0:29:11so stick to main roads and well-lit areas to avoid being targeted
0:29:11 > 0:29:13by robbers, and drive carefully.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16Before you decide to rent a car in South Africa,
0:29:16 > 0:29:19bear in mind that driving can be very dangerous.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21Relative to the population,
0:29:21 > 0:29:26the road death toll in South Africa is nine times worse than in Britain.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30In fact, if driving seems too daunting,
0:29:30 > 0:29:32then take a professionally run tour company that takes in
0:29:32 > 0:29:36all the sites as well as offering you some security.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39The freedom to do what you want may also be an option.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42The Foreign Office warns there's a high incidence of credit card fraud
0:29:42 > 0:29:45in South Africa and so do I.
0:29:45 > 0:29:47Last time I was there I paid for a meal,
0:29:47 > 0:29:51my card was taken to a back office for "processing".
0:29:51 > 0:29:54Next thing I knew, it had been skimmed,
0:29:54 > 0:29:58all the details used to create a new forged card with the villains
0:29:58 > 0:30:00starting spending my money.
0:30:00 > 0:30:04So never, ever let your card out of your sight.
0:30:13 > 0:30:17We get scores of letters and e-mails from people telling us about
0:30:17 > 0:30:21the problems that they've had with either travel or holiday plans,
0:30:21 > 0:30:24which means that whenever we come to our pop-up shop,
0:30:24 > 0:30:25our travel guru, Simon Calder,
0:30:25 > 0:30:29is always inundated with people who are just asking for his help.
0:30:29 > 0:30:33So this year he's been joined by Emma Colthurst
0:30:33 > 0:30:35and between them they really have helped
0:30:35 > 0:30:38dozens of people with their travel problems.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46Among the people who came to see Emma was Shelley,
0:30:46 > 0:30:49who had particular needs for her last holiday
0:30:49 > 0:30:52but right from the start things didn't quite go to plan.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56The first thing was, we got on the plane,
0:30:56 > 0:30:59and we were put in front of a cupboard
0:30:59 > 0:31:01and I couldn't even move my legs.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04I can't sit for too long without stiffening up,
0:31:04 > 0:31:06so I have to stretch my legs and I couldn't do it.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11You might think a cramped seat is just one of those things.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14But as Shelley suffers from back and knee problems,
0:31:14 > 0:31:15she'd deliberately paid extra
0:31:15 > 0:31:18so that she would have more room on the flight.
0:31:18 > 0:31:20We'd bought extra-legroom tickets.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23So it literally said extra legroom.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25Was it any different than a normal seat, then?
0:31:25 > 0:31:27No. Not at all.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30Did you see better seats with legroom on the plane?
0:31:30 > 0:31:32Yes, I've always had those.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35And the travel agent who we've booked with for years
0:31:35 > 0:31:39knows my profile. So they know what I expect.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42So I don't understand how we got pushed over there.
0:31:42 > 0:31:45They were just like ordinary seats.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48Shelley has tried asking her travel agent why she was put in
0:31:48 > 0:31:51such bad seats but was told it was out of their hands.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55But Emma doesn't think she should leave it at that.
0:31:55 > 0:31:57So I think in terms of what you can do,
0:31:57 > 0:31:59you can contact the airline directly.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02Go straight to the airline, that's one thing I haven't done.
0:32:02 > 0:32:06And say, you know, I don't feel that we got the adequate legroom
0:32:06 > 0:32:10and we didn't get the same amount of legroom, we wouldn't have paid for that.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12- No.- Because you want your money back, don't you?
0:32:12 > 0:32:14- Yeah.- Presumably. The extra that you paid.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17If you want to, you could take it up with CEDR.
0:32:17 > 0:32:19The Centre for Effected Dispute Resolution.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22They will look at it independently and provide you with a binding judgment.
0:32:22 > 0:32:26But that will cost you £25 if you are unsuccessful,
0:32:26 > 0:32:29so you will need to weigh up how much that will cost you, is it worth it.
0:32:29 > 0:32:30But complain to the airline.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33- Yeah.- And see if you can get your money back.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36But all of that was just the start of her problems.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38Due to her back and leg issues,
0:32:38 > 0:32:42Shelley had asked her travel agent for a resort that is all on one level.
0:32:42 > 0:32:46But the hotel she had been put in was totally unsuitable.
0:32:46 > 0:32:50Lunch, you have to go downstairs...
0:32:50 > 0:32:53..to the beach restaurant.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57Right. Is there a lift? No.
0:32:57 > 0:33:04How do I get there? Well, there was 25 steps, which were my nightmare.
0:33:04 > 0:33:06Every day was my nightmare.
0:33:06 > 0:33:11And sometimes I would just get so upset about it because it hurts...
0:33:11 > 0:33:14I had to go down there otherwise I didn't eat.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16There were steps that you couldn't avoid.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19So did you speak to someone in the hotel?
0:33:19 > 0:33:24- Yes.- Who did you speak to?- I spoke to the reps and they said that
0:33:24 > 0:33:27they would try and sort something out for me.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30One day they said, "Well, if you want,
0:33:30 > 0:33:32"we can bring the food up for you."
0:33:32 > 0:33:37But it was a buffet. So how can they bring the food up?
0:33:37 > 0:33:40They would bring a little bit of everything upstairs?
0:33:40 > 0:33:42Very, very frustrating.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45Emma says to make sure you don't find yourself in a situation
0:33:45 > 0:33:48where you have been promised something that wasn't delivered,
0:33:48 > 0:33:51try to write down your requirements.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55The best thing to do, and it is hard to do it,
0:33:55 > 0:33:57is to speak to the operator of the holiday,
0:33:57 > 0:34:00even contact them directly and say these are my stipulations,
0:34:00 > 0:34:03it is really important that there is step-free access
0:34:03 > 0:34:06and that my needs are catered for.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09And then try and get something in writing from the tour operator.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12- Yes.- So don't rely on somebody in the travel agent's,
0:34:12 > 0:34:15because the problem you have got is her word against yours.
0:34:15 > 0:34:17After complaining to the travel agent,
0:34:17 > 0:34:21Shelley was offered £100 off the next holiday that she booked
0:34:21 > 0:34:22with the same tour operator.
0:34:22 > 0:34:26She doesn't think that's enough and wants to know what else she should try.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28Go to the trade body, which is ABTA,
0:34:28 > 0:34:30the Association of British Travel Agents.
0:34:30 > 0:34:34If the tour operator don't give you a response you are happy with,
0:34:34 > 0:34:38ABTA will look at it and bring you and the member together as such,
0:34:38 > 0:34:43- so do that.- Thank you. I will. I will. Thank you very much.
0:34:43 > 0:34:47In the end, Shelley didn't take her complaint any further due to the fee
0:34:47 > 0:34:50that she would have been charged to take her case to arbitration.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54She has however since had two holidays that did go to plan
0:34:54 > 0:34:57but she didn't book them with the same travel agent
0:34:57 > 0:34:58or tour operator.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07Our pop-up shop isn't just about tackling your problems face-to-face.
0:35:07 > 0:35:12Our experts love being let loose to pass on nuggets of advice
0:35:12 > 0:35:15or to get a sense of the things that wind you up.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18Now, can I ask you a couple of quick questions about travel?
0:35:18 > 0:35:21What from your point of view is the worst part of a flight?
0:35:21 > 0:35:26The size of the seats and the legroom is a real bugbear.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29Really, really bad. They should just...
0:35:29 > 0:35:32You know, I have been long haul, and when you are long haul,
0:35:32 > 0:35:36you can cross your legs and you can spread out a bit more.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39But when you are just going... We are going to Crete this year.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42When you are sat on a plane for three, four hours,
0:35:42 > 0:35:45just a bit more legroom. It would just be fabulous.
0:35:45 > 0:35:47That is the worst part. Apart from that, I love it.
0:35:51 > 0:35:54One of the problems that a lot of you wanted to talk to us about was
0:35:54 > 0:35:57flight delays and specifically where you stand
0:35:57 > 0:36:00when it comes to compensation.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03Chris and Marian say the start of their two-week holiday was
0:36:03 > 0:36:06ruined by a long delay.
0:36:06 > 0:36:10We were booked on a cruise, going to Dubai from Manchester Airport.
0:36:10 > 0:36:14When we finally did set off and we arrived at Dubai
0:36:14 > 0:36:15we were told there was fog.
0:36:15 > 0:36:19Basically what had to happen is they took us to a municipal airport,
0:36:19 > 0:36:21where they allowed us to land.
0:36:21 > 0:36:25But we sat on the aircraft for five-and-a-half hours.
0:36:25 > 0:36:27According to the couple,
0:36:27 > 0:36:30the airport they landed at was only 45 minutes' drive from Dubai.
0:36:30 > 0:36:34So rather than make everyone sit around for hours,
0:36:34 > 0:36:38they reckon it would have been easier to lay on a coach and get everyone to the city.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40How long from when you should have been landing at Dubai do
0:36:40 > 0:36:43- you think it was when you...? - We were basically 12 hours late.
0:36:43 > 0:36:45- Around 12.- 12 hours late.
0:36:45 > 0:36:47As the flight was from the EU,
0:36:47 > 0:36:50because the delay was more than three hours,
0:36:50 > 0:36:53compensation is due if the airline can't argue
0:36:53 > 0:36:56that an exceptional circumstance caused the hold-up.
0:36:56 > 0:37:01And while Chris accepts that the fog was out of the airline's control,
0:37:01 > 0:37:05the couple's frustrations are more to do with how the airline handled
0:37:05 > 0:37:06everything after that.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08The fog is an act of God.
0:37:08 > 0:37:13Sitting on a runway for five hours 35 minutes is not an act of God.
0:37:13 > 0:37:15It is incompetence from the airline.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17- Have you heard anything from the airline?- Yeah.
0:37:17 > 0:37:19They are not going to give us anything.
0:37:19 > 0:37:24Again, Emma suggests that one of the dispute resolution services
0:37:24 > 0:37:27that is active in the industry might be the way to go.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31And the Civil Aviation Authority has template letters on its website
0:37:31 > 0:37:33to help you make a case for compensation.
0:37:35 > 0:37:37Someone else who came to tell us about a long delay
0:37:37 > 0:37:39was Kathleen Payton,
0:37:39 > 0:37:41who wanted to share her experiences
0:37:41 > 0:37:44with Simon Calder and solicitor Gary Rycroft.
0:37:44 > 0:37:46Tell us what happened.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48In 2014, myself,
0:37:48 > 0:37:52my husband and two friends were flying from Alicante to Manchester.
0:37:52 > 0:37:55The flight was delayed for seven hours.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58- Oh, how annoying. - A little bit annoying.
0:37:58 > 0:38:02So I thought I would look at trying to claim compensation.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05But despite sending ten letters over two years,
0:38:05 > 0:38:08she wasn't any closer to getting her money back.
0:38:08 > 0:38:12And it was only when she sought help from a solicitor that she finally
0:38:12 > 0:38:15managed to squeeze £1,300 from the airline.
0:38:15 > 0:38:17The airlines are doing different things.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20Some of them are saying, "All right, we hate these rules,
0:38:20 > 0:38:21"we think they are really unfair,
0:38:21 > 0:38:24"but we are going to pay out straightaway."
0:38:24 > 0:38:27Others are just saying, "We are going to fight you every step of the way."
0:38:27 > 0:38:30And they are doing that because for everybody like Kath,
0:38:30 > 0:38:33who is saying, "No, you owe me some money,"
0:38:33 > 0:38:36there are probably ten people who just think, "Oh, forget it."
0:38:38 > 0:38:40Over in our gripe corner,
0:38:40 > 0:38:42there were plenty of other travel grievances
0:38:42 > 0:38:43you wanted to get off your chest.
0:38:43 > 0:38:48What infuriates us is when you pay for a flight to go on holiday,
0:38:48 > 0:38:49if you get a good deal,
0:38:49 > 0:38:51sometimes the baggage can cost more than the flights.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54We booked a holiday, my husband put the wrong name on,
0:38:54 > 0:38:56we needed to change the name.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58They are charging us double.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00What really annoys me is the price of holidays
0:39:00 > 0:39:02during the school holidays.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05It trebles in price and it is absolutely ridiculous.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10That last complaint came up a lot,
0:39:10 > 0:39:13as did another perennial problem, lost luggage,
0:39:13 > 0:39:17which is something Hannah Palfreyman knows about only too well.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21We flew out first thing, bank holiday weekend last year.
0:39:23 > 0:39:27The case was over...overweight, so we had to pay an extra fee.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31And when we landed, the case wasn't fortunate enough to land with us.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34- That's the worst feeling.- But as if losing the bag wasn't bad enough,
0:39:34 > 0:39:38Hannah doesn't feel that the airline staff seemed especially bothered.
0:39:38 > 0:39:39And as far as she is concerned,
0:39:39 > 0:39:42they did nothing to track down where the bag had gone.
0:39:42 > 0:39:46When you got to the customer service desk of the airline,
0:39:46 > 0:39:48what did they say?
0:39:48 > 0:39:51It wasn't the company's fault. It was the baggage handlers' fault.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53You were really let down.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56They should have been phoning you at your hotel to keep you informed,
0:39:56 > 0:39:57to let you know where the bag is.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00Do you think the airline took responsibility?
0:40:00 > 0:40:01No. In fact, they even told me
0:40:01 > 0:40:04if I referred to their terms and conditions,
0:40:04 > 0:40:07it was in their terms and conditions that they weren't
0:40:07 > 0:40:10responsible for any luggage that goes missing.
0:40:10 > 0:40:12Well, that wasn't correct.
0:40:12 > 0:40:16Airlines are responsible for missing luggage and Hannah should have been
0:40:16 > 0:40:20asked to fill out what is called a property irregularity report to
0:40:20 > 0:40:22register the bag as lost.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24Well, I'm hoping the bag was found.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27It was located in Manchester Airport
0:40:27 > 0:40:30and the guy on the phone who my brother's partner spoke to
0:40:30 > 0:40:32was really helpful and said that the case was next to him.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35And they made sure it stayed in Manchester Airport
0:40:35 > 0:40:36for when we got home.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39But appalled at how she had been treated
0:40:39 > 0:40:41by the airline staff in Spain,
0:40:41 > 0:40:45once she was home, Hannah made an official complaint.
0:40:45 > 0:40:49I wrote to the airline and they sent me a response and said that the
0:40:49 > 0:40:51complaint had been dealt with.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53How long ago was that?
0:40:53 > 0:40:57- Ten months... Ten months ago? - OK.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00Unfortunately, there isn't any compensation for delayed bags.
0:41:01 > 0:41:06You paid that £40 excess charge and that bag never travelled.
0:41:06 > 0:41:11- I know.- So I would argue that as a gesture of goodwill,
0:41:11 > 0:41:14the airline should be giving you that money back.
0:41:14 > 0:41:18And at last, that is now what has happened.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21Shortly after she came to our pop-up shop,
0:41:21 > 0:41:25Hannah received a refund from the airline covering the cost
0:41:25 > 0:41:30of the check-in luggage and excess weight charge totalling £65.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32And that's great news for her.
0:41:32 > 0:41:36And while it really shouldn't have taken so much time and effort to claim back the money,
0:41:36 > 0:41:40it just reinforces that it is worth keeping going with a complaint.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43Don't give up if you haven't immediately had the right answer.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52Rip-Off Britain wouldn't be here without your stories
0:41:52 > 0:41:55and we've got plenty of ways that you can get in touch.
0:41:55 > 0:41:56Send us an e-mail...
0:42:00 > 0:42:02Or write to us at...
0:42:09 > 0:42:13But please don't send original copies of any documents.
0:42:13 > 0:42:17And even if you haven't got a story you would like us to investigate,
0:42:17 > 0:42:20you can still join in the conversation on our Facebook page.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23Just search BBC Rip-Off Britain.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30I must tell you, my heart goes out to anyone who has been through
0:42:30 > 0:42:33the same sort of experiences as the people we have heard from today.
0:42:33 > 0:42:37You know, to be stuck with an illness that started from a simple tick bite
0:42:37 > 0:42:41but then developed into a situation that has had such huge side-effects
0:42:41 > 0:42:43must be so debilitating.
0:42:43 > 0:42:45But I suppose the good news is that at least now
0:42:45 > 0:42:48we all know the signs and symptoms to look out for.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50And I have to say, for me at least,
0:42:50 > 0:42:53every one of these stories has been a very timely reminder that whilst
0:42:53 > 0:42:56holidays of course are supposed to be a time when you can relax,
0:42:56 > 0:43:00that doesn't actually mean that you can just throw caution to the wind
0:43:00 > 0:43:02and completely let your guard down.
0:43:02 > 0:43:06Absolutely. Well, do please keep sending us your stories to investigate,
0:43:06 > 0:43:09not just about holidays but on any of the topics that we cover on
0:43:09 > 0:43:12the various Rip-Off Britain programmes throughout the year.
0:43:12 > 0:43:15We have plenty more coming up, which is great, but that's it for now.
0:43:15 > 0:43:18We will be back with more of your stories soon, so until then,
0:43:18 > 0:43:20- from all of us, goodbye.- Goodbye. - Bye-bye.