Safety Tips for an international traveler.

Traveling gives us great memories and amazing photos. Unfortunately, we sometimes forget about our surroundings and fall victim to scams and thieves. Try these eight international travel safety tips to become a smart traveler.

1. Watch out for travel scams

Scam artists are everywhere and they’ll try their best to get you to part with your hard-earned money.  Whenever you book anything travel related, whether it’s tours, flights or hotels, be sure to do your due diligence.  Travel scams aren’t always obvious; if you’re unfamiliar with a company, check travel reviews before making any purchases.

2. Protect yourself from identity theft

Have you ever wondered how to protect yourself from identity theft while travelling?  It’s simple; only carry things you’ll need. That means leave your social insurance number card and birth certificate at home.  Despite popular belief, you don’t need to carry your passport at all times unless the country you’re visiting requires it.

Cheques are another thing you can do without.  They’re not widely accepted and list your banking information, so be a smart traveler and leave them at home.

3. Use credit

Credit cards are a must when traveling since they can offer you benefits like travel baggage insurance and chargeback.  Travel baggage insurance covers theft of personal items while traveling. Having the right travel medical insurance is a must, so check whether your credit card travel insurance coverage is enough. If not, purchase some additional coverage.

Be warned that not all travel insurance policies are created equal—read up on coverage and exclusions to determine which policy you should go with. Another benefit of using a credit card is chargeback. This protects you in case you’re a victim of fraud, or didn’t receive the product or service you purchased.

I suggest bringing two credit cards on different accounts e.g., one VISA, one MasterCard in case you have any issues with one of them.  Keep one in your wallet and the other in your hotel safe; this protects you if your wallet gets lost or stolen.

Credit card providers know your spending patterns, so an unexpected foreign purchase may trigger a block on your account.  To avoid this, call your credit card provider to let them know when and where you’re traveling to.

4. Be cautious of ATMs

ATMs are the easiest and cheapest way to get foreign currency.  You can find ATM’s everywhere and they usually charge much lower rates compared to if you exchanged money back home at your bank or foreign exchange.  To prevent fraud, avoid independent ATMs and try to use only ATMs associated with your provider’s network.  Both VISA and MasterCard have worldwide ATM locators which makes finding a trustworthy ATM easy.

Just like credit cards, you need to let your bank know that you’ll be traveling so your debit card doesn’t get blocked.  Be aware that in most foreign countries only 4 digit pin codes are allowed, so change it prior to traveling if you are using anything different.

Carrying too much cash on you is never a good idea, so try to head back to your hotel after withdrawals cash from an ATM.

5. Watch out when using Wi-Fi

Free Wi-Fi is practically a gold mine for travelers, but before you start posting pictures to Instagram and responding to tweets, make sure you’re joining a secure network.  Look for the word “secure” beside any network you’re about to join (find this in your Wi-Fi settings) to ensure it has security enabled.

A smart traveller doesn’t forget to read the privacy statements before joining any networks; you’d be surprised what information you’re agreeing to give up.

Here’s a list of smart travel apps you should download before leaving for your trip.

6. Don’t forget about home

This should be obvious, but arrange for someone you trust to pick up your mail when you’re away on vacation.  An overflowing mailbox is practically an invitation for thieves to come check out your place.  If you don’t want to inconvenience your friends, you can always purchase hold mail service directly from Canada Post.

This may sound old school, but leave at least one light on at home when you’re away. It’ll make thieves second guess if your home really is empty.

7. Digitize your documents

Pretty much all trip itineraries come via e-mail these days, so why not digitize your other documents as well?  Your passport, travel medical insurance, driver’s license, credit cards (scan both sides so you have the emergency numbers), debit card and health card are just a few things you want to make sure you have scanned.  In the event you lose the physical documents, it’ll be much easier to get replacements with your digital copies as proof.

When I travel I keep these documents on my tablet and in my-email, but I also send them to someone I trust back home just in case I am unable to access the files.

8. Keep yourself updated

The Government of Canada recommends that Canadians travelling sign up for the Registration of Canadians Abroad service.  To be realistic, if you’re heading south to Florida you won’t need to register, but if you’re the adventurous type who likes to travel off the beaten path, it definitely doesn’t hurt to be a smart traveller and register.

Before visiting any country it’s worth checking out the current travel advisories from the Government of Canada.  Isolated incidents of violence in remote places shouldn’t affect your travel plans too much, but you definitely want to know what the current advisories are since they could affect your travel insurance coverage.

 Once you’re home from your trip, here’s a list of travel documents you need to keep in case you need to file for a travel insurance claim.

  Copyright © 2014 Travel Underwriters, All rights reserved.

Traveling to US for deal on Black Friday? Travel Insurance, just in case.

Many Canadians shop in the US. Who can resist a good deal? Some of us go back and forth over the border without even thinking about it. But accidents can happen, even on the shortest of trips or while doing the ‘safest’ activities like shopping. Here are a few real-life experiences that illustrate how common injuries can be, while shopping in the US from Canada.

“Minor” slips or trips

While shopping in the States, Tara slipped on spilled nail polish and sustained minor injuries. The store did not accept responsibility on the basis that the spill was caused by another customer.

A second traveller, Dominic, tripped over a fixture at the same retail store and ended up with a fracture. When I think of the Black Friday chaos I’ve seen in some stores, this kind of accident is more common than people realize!

If you get injured in a store, it could be costly and complicated. Third party liability makes for some ‘sticky situations’—it’s really on a case by case basis. Travel insurance may not cover the claim if a retailer is liable, but it could still help pay out-of-pocket costs up front.

Health conditions can surface out of the nowhere

63-year-old June was shopping in an outlet mall when her leg suddenly gave way beneath her, resulting in a fracture. The fracture was found to be “pathological,” meaning it was due to an underlying condition. Further examination and testing determined June had a malignant tumour in her left shoulder; unfortunately, the cancer had already spread throughout her body.

Getting injured in the States is costly! You probably know by now that the US has some of the highest costs for medical treatments. In fact, a hip fracture could cost up to $85,000! It’s smart to have travel insurance whenever you go across the border, even if it’s just a short trip, or a quick shopping visit. Your provincial healthcare only covers a small portion—hence the need for emergency hospital medical coverage.

And here’s a tip: if you travel frequently to the US, consider Multi Trip Annual travel insurance. It’s more economical to purchase one Multi Trip Annual policy for an entire year, versus buying multiple Single Trip policies. For example, purchase a policy with a 10-day trip length on an annual plan, and have unlimited trips of up to 10 days at a time for the year! Just ask your local insurance broker for details.

 Copyright © 2014 Travel Underwriters, All rights reserved.

FCO Safety Warning

Britons travelling abroad are being warned that they could be targeted by terrorists seeking revenge for UK air strikes against Islamic State (IS) extremists.

The Foreign Office (FCO) has updated its travel advice for all destinations across the globe that British nationals faced a "heightened threat" of attack from "groups or individuals motivated by the conflict in Iraq and Syria".

It urges all Britons living or travelling overseas to be "vigilant" at the current time. 

The FCO said that it was responding to the "generalised threat" rather than warnings of a specific attack.

The move comes after Home Secretary Theresa May announced in August that the UK national terror threat level had been raised from "substantial" to "severe", meaning an attack is considered ''highly likely''.

Last month, Parliament gave the go-ahead for the RAF to carry out air strikes against IS forces in Iraq and the Government has been supplying arms to the Kurdish peshmerga militias fighting the extremists.

The updated FCO advice states: "There is considered to be a heightened threat of terrorist attack globally against UK interests and British nationals from groups or individuals motivated by the conflict in Iraq and Syria. You should be vigilant at this time."

The FCO advises against all travel to most parts of Iraq, and all of Syria, where it says it is unable to provide assistance to any British citizen in leaving the country. There is also advice not to travel within 10km of the border of Syria, within Turkey.

Airline Funnies

As Promised - some more light entertainment..... A plane was taking off from Kennedy Airport. After it reached a comfortable cruising altitude, the captain made an announcement over the intercom, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking.  Welcome to Flight Number 293, nonstop from New York to Los Angeles. The weather ahead is good and therefore we should have a smooth and uneventful flight. Now sit back and relax -- OH MY GOD!" Silence followed and after a few minutes, the Captain came back on the intercom and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm so sorry if I scared you earlier, but while I was talking, the flight attendant brought me a cup of coffee and spilt it in my lap. You should see the front of my pants! A passenger in Coach said, "That's nothing, he should see the back of mine!" **************************************** Basic Flying Rules:  1. Try to stay in the middle of the air. 2. Do not go near the edges of it. 3. The edges of the air can be recognized by the appearance of ground, buildings, sea, trees and interstellar space. It is much more difficult to fly there. ******************************************************** A welcome to a new co-pilot from an old captain: Son, your wife's legs have more time in the air than you do. ******************************************************** Unknown landing signal officer to carrier pilot after his 6th unsuccessful landing (bolter): You've got to land here, son. This is where the food is. **************************************** LH741: "Tower, give me a rough time-check!" Tower: "It's Tuesday, Sir." ******************************************************** Tower: Have you got enough fuel or not? Pilot: Yes. Tower: Yes what?? Pilot: Yes, SIR! ******************************************************** Pilot: "...Tower, please call me a fuel truck." Tower: "Roger. You are a fuel truck." ******************************************************** Tower: "Phantom-Formation crossing control zone without clearance, state your call-sign !" Pilot: "I'm not silly..." ******************************************************** Tower (in Stuttgart): "Lufthansa 5680, reduce to 170 knots." Pilot: "This is here like Frankfurt. There is also only 210 and 170 knots...But we are flexible." Tower: "We too. Reduce to 173 knots." ******************************************************** Pilot: "Ground, XY-line 195, requesting start-up." Tower: "Sorry, XY-line 195, we don't have your flight plan. What is your destination ?" Pilot: "To Leipzig, like every Monday." Tower: "But today is Tuesday!" Pilot: "WHAT? But Tuesday we are off !" ******************************************************** Tower: "Hawk 20, is this the same aircraft declaring emergency about two hours ago ?" Pilot: "Negative, Sir. It's only the same pilot." ******************************************************** Tower: "Delta Fox Alpha, hold position, Marshall will park you." Pilot: "Roger. Looking out for John Wayne." ******************************************************** Tower: You have traffic at 10 o'clock, 6 miles! Pilot: Give us another hint, we have digital watches! ******************************************************** Tower: Mission 123, do you have problems? Pilot: I think, I have lost my compass. Tower: Judging the way you are flying, you lost the whole instrument panel! ******************************************************** Pilot: Good morning, Frankfurt ground, KLM 242 request start up and push back, please. Tower: KLM 242 expect start up in two hours. Pilot: Please confirm: two hours delay? Tower: Affirmative. Pilot: In that case, cancel the good morning! ******************************************************** Eggenfelden Info : D-EXXX please report persons aboard. D-EXXX (C-172) : Pilot and two pax and one dog. Eggenfelden Info (after Cessna finally bounced to stop): Assume the Pilot in Command was the dog ? ******************************************************** Tower: "Height and position?" Pilot: "I am 1,80 m and I'm sitting. ******************************************************** On a very quiet night: Pilot: "I'm bored" Tower: "Would the aircraft reporting boredom please identify your self" Pilot: "I said I was bored, not stupid" ******************************************************** I over heard this while on ground control in MIA. VIRGIN Flt: "Every time I come to MIA you women controllers give us a hard time." ATC: "For the nine years I have been a controller, I have never had a problem handling a VIRGIN." ******************************************************** A young and stupid pilot wanted to sound cool on the aviation frequencies. So, this one time he was approaching a field during the night time. Instead of making any official requests to the tower, he said: "Guess who?" The controller switched the field lights off and replied: "Guess where!" ******************************************************** Ground Control: "123DG, bear to the left, disabled aircraft on the right." Pilot: "123DG, Roger, I have the disabled aircraft in sight, but I don't see the bear yet." ******************************************************** A female pilot at Sydney's Bankstown airport was in a hurry to get airborne, she made the following request: "Bankstown Tower Cessna ABC requests an intersexual departure runway 29R." Almost straight away ATC reply: "ABC, The full length is available." ******************************************************** ATC: Piper N 4444D, traffic at your 2 o'clock, 500 ft below you. Piper N4444D: Well, we see a light coming towards us ... ATC: Look again - there's probably a plane behind that light. ******************************************************** ATC: "N123YZ, say altitude." N123YZ: "ALTITUDE!" ATC: "N123YZ, say airspeed." N123YZ: "AIRSPEED!" ATC: "N123YZ, say cancel IFR." N123YZ: "Eight thousand feet, one hundred fifty knots indicated." ******************************************************** Lady Radar Controller: "Can I turn you on at 7 miles?" Airline Captain: "Madam, you can try." ******************************************************** Tower: "Airline XXX, it looks like one of your baggage doors is open." Captain (after quickly scanning the FE panel): "Ah, thanks tower, but you must be looking at our APU door." Tower: "Okay, Airline XXX, cleared for takeoff." Captain: "Cleared for takeoff, Airline XXX." Tower, during the takeoff roll: "Airline XXX, ahh ... it appears that your APU is leaking luggage..." ******************************************************** The crew of a US airliner made a wrong turn during taxi and came nose to nose with another aircraft, the furious ground controller (a female) screamed: "[Callsign] where are you going? I told you to turn right on 'Charlie' taxiway; you turned right on 'Delta'. Stop right there" Continuing her verbal lashing of the embarrassed crew, she shouted: "You've screwed everything up. It'll take forever to sort this out. You stay right there and don't move until I tell you to. You can expect progressive taxi instructions in about a half hour and I want you to go exactly where I tell you, when I tell you, and how I tell you. You got that?" Naturally, the frequency went very quiet until an unknown male pilot broke the silence and asked: "Wasn't I married to you once?" ******************************************************** A DC-10 had an exceedingly long roll out after landing with his approach speed just a little too high.  San Jose Tower: "American 751 heavy, turn right at the end, if able. If not able, take the Guadeloupe exit off of Highway 101 and make a right at the light to return to the airport." ********************************************************  It was a really nice day, right about dusk, and a Piper Malibu was being vectored into a long line of airliners in order to land at Kansas City.  KC Approach: "Malibu three-two-Charlie, you're following a 727, one o'clock and three miles."  Three-two-Charlie: "We've got him.  We'll follow  him."  KC Approach: "Delta 105, your traffic to follow is a Malibu, eleven o'clock and three miles.  Do you have that traffic?"  Delta 105 (long pause and then in a thick southern drawl): "Well...we've got something down there.  Can't quite tell if it's a Malibu or a Chevelle, though." ********************************************************  Tower: "Eastern 702, contact  Departure on 124.7."  Eastern 702: "Tower, Eastern 702 switching to Departure ...  by the way, after we lifted off, we saw some kind of  dead animal on the far end of the runway."  Tower: "Continental  635, cleared for take-off; did you copy the report from Eastern?"  Continental 635: "Continental 635, cleared for takeoff roger; and roger, we copied Eastern and we've already notified our caterers." ********************************************************  O'Hare Approach Control:  "United 329 Heavy, your traffic is a Fokker F-27, one o'clock,3 miles, eastbound."  United 329: "Approach, I've always wanted to say  this...  I've got that Fokker in sight." ******************************************************** The German air controllers at  Frankfurt Airport are a short-tempered lot.  They not only expect one to know one's gate parking location but how to get there without any assistance from them.  So it was with some amusement that we (a Pan Am 747) listened to the following exchange between Frankfurt ground control and a British Airways 747 (call sign "Speedbird 206") after landing:  Speedbird 206: "Top of the morning Frankfurt, Speedbird 206 clear of the active runway."  Ground: "Guten morgen!  You will taxi to your  gate!"  The big British Airways 747 pulled onto the main taxiway and slowed to a stop.  Ground: "Speedbird, do you not know where you are going?" Speedbird 206: "Stand by a moment ground, I'm looking up our gate location now."  Ground (with some arrogant  impatience): "Speedbird 206, you have never flown to Frankfurt before?!?"  Speedbird 206 (coolly): "Yes, I have, in 1944. In  another type of Boeing... but I didn't stop." ********************************************************  I was a Pan Am 727 Flight Engineer waiting for start clearance in Munich, Germany. I was listening to the radio since I was the  junior crew member.  This was the conversation I overheard:  Lufthansa (In German):  "Ground, what is our start clearance time?" Ground (In English):  "If you want an answer you must speak English." Lufthansa (In English):  "I am a German, flying a German airplane, in Germany. Why must I speak  English?" Beautiful English Accent (before ground could answer):  "Because you lost the bloody war!"  ******************************************************** More from our "Don't get wise with us" file: A United Airlines 747 captain tries to make light banter with Sydney, Australia, Approach Control ... Captain: "Good morning, Sydney, this is United XXX, we're 50 miles out and have your island in sight ..." Approach: "Roger, United ... you're cleared to circle the island twice, then it's okay to land." ******************************************************** A beautiful young blonde woman boards a plane to New York with a ticket for the economy section. She looks at the seats in economy and then looks into the forward cabin at the first-class seats. Seeing that the first-class seats appear to be much larger and more comfortable, she moves forward to the last empty seat in first class. The flight attendant checks her ticket and tells the woman that her the seat is in economy. The blonde replies, "I'm young and beautiful, and have never had this problem before. I'm going to sit here all the way, until we get to New York." Flustered, the flight attendant goes to the cockpit and informs the Captain of the blonde problem. The captain goes back and tells the woman that her assigned seat is in economy. Again, the blonde replies, in exactly the same way.The captain doesn't want to cause a commotion, and so returns to the cockpit to discuss the blonde problem with the Co-pilot. The Co-pilot says that he has a blonde girlfriend, and that he can take care of the problem. He then goes back and briefly whispers something in the blonde's ear. She immediately gets up, says "Thank you so much, now I understand". She hugs the Co-pilot, and rushes back to her seat in the economy section. The pilot and flight attendant, who were watching with rapt attention, asked  the Co-pilot what he had said to the woman. He replies, "I just told her that the first class section isn't going to New York." ****************************************

Travel Insurance and Alcohol

You’re finally on a well-deserved vacation after months of hard work and saving. But a day of sun and a few too many drinks makes your heart skip a beat…and not in a good way! It might be holiday heart syndrome; an irregular heartbeat in an otherwise healthy person.

Holiday heart is usually temporary and often follows binge drinking. It can also be a result of stress or dehydration, so you can see how it can show up during vacation.

Why travel insurance and alcohol don’t mix

If you have to seek medical care for holiday heart syndrome or any other alcohol-related accident or illness, will your travel insurance cover the costs?

Many travellers assume they’re covered once they buy travel insurance, no matter what. But alcohol-related illness and/or injuries are one of the most common reasons claims are denied. Travel health insurance is designed to cover accidents and unexpected medical emergencies, not acts of negligence. So most travel health insurance plans don’t cover alcohol and drug-related injuries.

Get to know your travel health insurance policy

Alcohol-related accidents or illnesses can affect the kind of insurance you’re eligible for. For example, if alcohol contributes to a chronic pre-existing condition, like cirrhosis, ask if your travel insurance will cover it. Not all policies will! Read your policy’s alcohol exclusion carefully before buying, or ask your travel insurance provider to go over the details with you. It’s also wise to avoid abusing all illegal and prescription drugs.

It’s important to shop around for insurance that suits your health, age and any medication you’re taking. And remember, if you’re over 60, you’ll likely have to fill out a medical health questionnaire. Ask your doctor to assist you, if needed.

Keep these travel safety tips in mind

After all this, it’s your vacation and you may want to wind down with a couple of drinks.  The Government of Canada has some useful safety tips related to alcohol, drugs and travel.

Here are a few to keep in mind:

• Follow the same safety rules for drinking and drug-use as you would at home. Use alcohol responsibly and stay away from drugs.
• Always keep an eye on your drinks, and don’t accept drinks from strangers. As at home, unsavoury characters could lace your drink with narcotics.
• Be aware that alcohol served at your destination may be stronger than you’re used to. Don’t drink home-brewed alcohol and never drink in countries where alcohol is banned.
• And of course, never drink and drive or get into a vehicle with a driver who’s under the influence.

Last of all, have a healthy and enjoyable vacation!

  Copyright © 2014 Travel Underwriters, All rights reserved.

Salisbury

Salisbury Cathedral (Photo: AP)

In its list of the world's top 10 cities to visit in 2015, Lonely Planet found room for just one UK city. Not Edinburgh, Bath, York or Brighton, of course. Or even Paris or Rome. In a surprising, some may say eccentric move, the Wiltshire town of Salisbury has taken seventh place, elbowing Vienna and Toronto into eighth and tenth positions, respectively.

Quite why this attractive, unassuming market town has been propelled to global stardom is difficult to fathom. Until now it has been notable chiefly for its 13th-century cathedral, with the highest spire in Britain (404ft), and its proximity to Stonehenge, about nine miles from the city.

True, Salisbury has other draws: the largest and arguably the loveliest cathedral close in the country and the oldest working clock in Europe (in the cathedral). Turner and Constable painted here, William Golding drew inspiration for Lord of the Flies from his teaching years at the city’s Bishop Wordsworth’s school and Trollope’s Barchester is said to be largely based on Salisbury. The parish church of St Thomas and St Edmund houses the Doom painting - the largest chancel arch painting in England, dating back to 1475.

The iron age hill fort of Old Sarum, just outside the city, is a good place for windy walks. There is a popular international arts festival each summer and, according to the Telegraph’s chief theatre critic, Dominic Cavendish, the city has one of the best regional theatres in the country in Salisbury Playhouse.

But is Salisbury really up there with the likes of Lisbon, Kyoto, Vancouver and Singapore? Its clutch of lovely medieval and Georgian buildings ( including Ted Heath’s former home, Arudells), is offset by a couple of hideous shopping centres. Much of the architecture is undistinguished red-brick Victorian, it’s sliced up by a grim 1970s ring road and parking is an expensive nightmare.

Nor are there any top class hotels in Salisbury itself (significantly, the first two recommendations on Tripadvisor are both outside the city) and restaurants are distinctly patchy. Nightlife centres around the local pubs, while forthcoming events at the main music venue, the City Hall, include the Sensational Sixties Experience and a Fleetwood Mac tribute band.

Even Tom Hall, one of the Lonely Planet judges, described Salisbury as a “surprising choice” , though it's not unknown for Lonely Planet to publish left-field suggestions: the sole British name on last year’s list was Londonderry, a "vibrant, historic walled city undergoing a renaissance". And accusations of gimmickry were levelled at it earlier this month when it published a guidebook the the entire world.

The secret of Salisbury’s sudden stardom seems to be down to King John and the barons. The Cathedral’s Chapter House contains one of only four original copies of the Magna Carta - and the Salisbury document is in rather better nick than the others.

Next year Britain will be abuzz with celebrations to mark the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta and Salisbury hopes to play a prominent role with a host of events and festivities planned - hence its new global importance.

Just make sure you don’t visit the city in early February 2015; the Salisbury Magna Carta will be on loan to the British Library in London, where the four surviving original 1215 copies of Magna Carta will be brought together for the first time in history.

For UK Travel Insurance - click HERE

6 things to do after missing a flight.

STEP 1 of 6: Get to the Airport as quick as possible. 

A missed flight can occur amid the best-laid plans.

Sometimes a serious traffic accident all but closes down your route to the airport. You might have mechanical trouble or a flat tire. There are circumstances that will preclude an on-time arrival at the airport for your flight.

If you're like most budget travelers, you've purchased a non-refundable ticket as part of a low-cost air travel strategy. It's likely your reservation for the return flight will be canceled because you failed to board the outbound flight.

Take a deep breath.

There are ways to navigate this unpleasant situation and minimize the damage to your travel budget. The first thing to do is proceed to the airport, even when it is clear you will not make it to the gate in time for boarding.

To turn around and go home out of desperation will not help your cause. Remember that there are likely to be other flights leaving that day for the same destination. You want to be on one of them.

With some airlines, there is a chance you can board one of those flights without paying an additional change fee. Click "next" and find out how that could be possible.

STEP 2 of 6: Ask about the "Flat Tire Rule".   

There is an unpublicized policy to help customers who miss their flights because of circumstances beyond control. If you can benefit from this policy, the missed flight that caused so much stress could wind up costing you nothing.

The slang term within the airline industry for this policy is the flat tire rule. The idea is that if you experience some mishap that prevents you from arriving at the gate on-time, the airline will re-issue a standby boarding pass for the next flight to your destination at no charge. It doesn't apply to someone who shows up the next day -- and generally becomes unavailable about two hours after the original departure time. Note that some will refer to it as the "two hour rule."

That's why it's important to proceed to the airport, even when you know the plane will be leaving without you.

This is not a courtesy that is associated with low-cost carriers. Remember, their business model charges for anything beyond basic transportation. Missed flights on budget carriers frequently carry a penalty.

This is a nebulous policy, and some airlines won't even talk about it. After all, they want you to buy refundable tickets at much higher prices.

But airlines concerned about customer service frequently try to accommodate domestic passengers caught in these circumstances. Just remember: it's usually a discretionary policy, which means the decision to help you often depends upon the gate representative's decision and the availability of seating on the next flights.

 Step 3 of 6: Plan on paying the change fee.

If the airline won't waive the change fee, you could be paying $150-$200 per ticket on many airlines for a standby reservation on the next flight. The good news is you'll only pay the change fee one time. If you can't get on the next standby flight, you'll be on the list for flight opportunities that follow.

There will be circumstances when it's tempting to find a last-minute one-way ticket to your destination that comes in at less than the cost of the change fee. It's not easy to do, but it happens.

Resist the temptation and pay the change fee.

The airline will cancel your return flight reservation if you don't check in with them and deal with the circumstances. Unless you can find a round-trip fare at the last minute that is lower (not likely), you'll often lose money by not paying the change fee.  

 Step 4 of 6: Recognize the consequences of Missing an International Flight. 

 Don't expect to invoke the "flat tire rule" on missed international flights. Those very expensive seats generally fall under a different set of rules.

Remember that the reward granted through this rule results in a standby reservation on the next available flight. But many airlines will not allow standbys on international flights. So you could be booking a new seat reservation at the current price, which is likely to be far higher than the original fare you booked weeks earlier.

When you factor in flight conditions, airport traffic and airline policy, there are obviously many results that become the product of those variables. But generally speaking, missing an international flight will exact a bigger penalty.

 That's why it is wise to allow a lot more time for international departures and to pick up some travel insurance that covers such situations.

Step 5 of 6: Document everything.

No matter what situation you encounter with the airlines, it always makes sense to document everything that happens at the ticket counter. Get hard copies of everything, including the airline policies the agent applied to your situation.

Should you later decide to file a travel complaint, this paperwork will prove extremely useful. If you file a travel insurance claim, lacking this documentation could prevent collecting money to which you are entitled.

Step 6 of 6: Be calm and polite. 

After missing a flight, you are likely to be stressed and irritated. If a situation not of your making results in added travel costs, clearly you will not be happy.

But it's important to control such emotions when it's time to encounter gate personnel who can help you out of this bad situation.

Although they're quite accustomed to dealing with unhappy passengers, they're also human. They'll react better to people who are asking rather than demanding. Experienced travelers will tell you that politeness is far more effective than bluster in these situations.

Citing Source: About.com

 http://budgettravel.about.com/od/airfarerules/ss/missed-flights.htm#step-heading