Travel warning to people flying from Scotland airports ahead of 'extremely busy' Christmas
The great Christmas getaway will soon be underway, as people jet off to meet up with family and friends to enjoy the festive season together.
Across the UK, five million people are expected to travel through airports to get to their destinations. Travel expert Simon Calder has warned travellers to be aware that two Scottish airports in particular will be extremely busy in the coming weeks.
He has also lifted the lid on hidden baggage charges that people might incur on several airlines which could see people forking out up, on average £55 extra.
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Confused.com has found that almost a third of holidaymakers have fallen foul of charges for overweight baggage. And Simon said that this issue is more prevalent at Christmastime when folk are bringing gifts to and from loved ones.
The travel journalist and broadcaster said: "It's going to be an extremely busy Christmas at both Edinburgh and Glasgow airports, and research from Confused.com shows that one in three people have ended up paying extra because they didn't properly check the baggage rules, and of those, two out of five are unfortunately put over the limit because they are carrying Christmas gifts.
“It is really important this Christmas to check in advance what you're allowed to take on board without paying any extra, and it's also worth making sure that your hand baggage is compliant with all the security rules.
The survey found that 40 per cent of travellers hit with fees said the extra weight came from gifts received from loved ones, which could be higher at this time of year. And more than two in five said they feel blindsided by hidden baggage fees, with costs reaching up to £65 for some airlines when only 1kg over the limit.
In addition, a 16 percent of people ended up paying over £100 in fees for extra weight.
The research also showed that one in five people have had to buy an extra suitcase to redistribute their luggage while at the airport to comply with the strict rules. And 20 per cent of those surveyed said they had to make cuts elsewhere on their trip to compensate for the extra money shelled out.
Confused.com has looked at popular airlines and their fees to compare:
Ryanair charge euros 12 per kg excess baggage
easyJet charge £12 per kg excess baggage
Jet2 charge £12 per kg excess baggage
TUI Airways charge £14-£18 per kilo
Wizz Air charge euros 13 per kg
British Airways charge £65 for an overweight bag
Virgin Atlantic change £65 for an overweight bag
Eastern Airways charge £10 per kg up to 32 kg
To help clear up confusion, Confused.com has launched an airline baggage checker. It’s a simple tool that outlines included and additional baggage allowances for airlines operating out of the UK.
Alvaro Iturmendi, travel insurance expert at Confused.com, said: "High and surprising costs can have a knock-on effect for customers’ holidays. Forward planning means holidaymakers can buy an additional bag or budget for the excess fees.
"Our airline baggage checker can simplify the process for passengers. All you need to do is tell us the airline you’re flying with and what class. The checker will then share an overview of allowances of both included and excess baggage.
"Just a quick check of our baggage tool can help reduce the uncertainty of baggage limits. That way, people can feel ready to get away and enjoy their holiday.”
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