As the half term approaches and holidays near, its key you get your ducks in a row for a smooth take-off.
This summer was a chaotic one for airports, airlines and passengers, with long lines for security, very long waits for baggage collection and many delayed flights.
While the worst of the chaos is hopefully behind us now, it's worth making sure everything is in order before you head to the airport.
Tick off this check-list ahead of your half term break in order to make your holiday as smooth and stress free as possible.
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1. Check your passport is valid
This summer many people have found themselves standing at airport departure gates but unable to get board their flights, prompting the Foreign Office to issue a warning for holidaymakers.
Since Brexit, Brits heading to countries within the block have had to have three months left on their passports in order to visit.
It must also have been issued in the past ten years at the time of entry.
Different countries have more stringent requirements however, with some demanding passports have six months left before they need to be renewed.
To make sure yours is in date, go to VisaGuide.World.
2. Make sure you have the right travel insurance
When travelling abroad, we all want to avoid those nightmare situations; losing your luggage, falling ill or having to fork out for expensive medical treatment or other costs when things go wrong.
That's why travel insurance is so important; it's not just about putting your mind at ease, but also covering you should your travels not go to plan.
Over the summer thousands of people ended up parted from their luggage due to issues with bag collection at airports because of understaffing, making a comprehensive cover more important than ever.
It is also key to get comprehensive flight insurance to cover you in the event of a cancelled or delayed service.
Don't leave it last minute too - you should have travel insurance in place the moment you book, so you're covered if anything gets delayed or cancelled before you've even headed to the airport.
3. Check the Covid entry rules
Gone are the immensely difficult lockdown days of very strict border rules dictating entry for almost every country, and many hoops that had to be jumped through to get back into the UK.
Some restrictions still remain however, with countries such as Spain holding on to some Covid entry requirements, particularly for those who are not fully vaccinated.
For other nations, having the right vaccination certificates and visas are a must.
Before booking any holiday and ahead of leaving, make sure you check the Foreign Office advice for the latest travel rules, as well as further information about a destination and other warnings that may be in place, unrelated to Covid.
4. Arrive at the right time
Over the summer - and as far back as the Easter Holidays - a major problem at airports was people arriving at the wrong time.
Many people got spooked by the prospect of long queues for check-in, so arrived early to try and beat the rush.
This led staff to be overwhelmed as the demand for their services spiked at unusual times of the day.
As a result, airlines released guidance for when their check-in desks opened, and how early they advised travellers to arrive.
We've collected some of that advice here, but it's also worth checking online with the airline directly for the most up to date guidance.
5. Don't forget to check-in
It might seem an obvious one, but different airlines have different rules about when you can, should and must check-in by.
Many of the budget airlines are quite strict when it comes to cut off times, and will charge you for doing it late.
For example, Ryanair passengers face having to fork out £55 if they end up having to check in at the airport, as the budget airline requires passengers to check-in online.
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