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Friday 30 December 2011

2012 Hottest Travel Destinations

From January 2012 By Colin Barraclough, Vinita Bharadwaj, Jennifer Chen, Jonathan Durbin, Eleni N. Gage, David Kaufman, Alexandra Marshall, Ralph Martin, David Swanson
 
Imagine lazing in a hammock on a remote beach in Panama, where boldface names like Angelina Jolie and Michael Jordan have been spotted. It’s a trip within reach—rustic-but-stylish hotels start at $99—and a country that’s remaking itself for 2012.

Discovering new destinations might seem next to impossible, but one of the wonders of travel is that there’s always someplace new on the horizon. And even when you think you know a place, there’s a hidden side ripe for exploration. To uncover 2012’s most exciting destinations, T+L crisscrossed the globe, bringing back everything from Toronto’s new hot spots to secluded resorts in northern Mozambique.
Some of our picks reflect travelers’ increasing thirst for adventure and desire to immerse themselves in local ways. “Our clients are interested in remote, off-the-beaten-path destinations that still retain their traditional culture,” says Scott Wiseman, president of Abercrombie & Kent USA.

Take Xishuangbanna, at the foot of the Himalayas in China’s southern Yunnan province. Though often overlooked in favor of Lijiang and Tibet, it’s home to an ethnically diverse population that still follows age-old customs—making it the place to get a cultural fix without the crowds. And a luxurious new Anantara resort means roughing it is not required.

Looking for something even more remote? It’s hard to top Corumbau in Brazil’s southern Bahia. The original inhabitants named it "far from everything" for good reason: a sojourn requires a bone-rattling, four-hour drive from the nearest airport. The rewards—deserted beaches, super-fresh seafood—make up for the journey.
For each destination, we’ve provided a breakdown of the kind of traveler it’s well suited to, the best time to go, and how to get there. Not all the destinations for 2012 are exotic and far-flung. Cutting-edge architecture and youthful creative energy are driving a renaissance in Guimarães, one of Portugal’s oldest cities.
Culture is also making over places such as Bentonville, AR, which Walmart heiress Alice Walton has graced with a free world-class museum of American art on 120 wooded acres.

Whether you’re a jet-setting sybarite, a design buff, or a thrill-seeking flashpacker, the places we’ve collected here will inspire you to make 2012 a year of new discoveries. —Jennifer Chen

 

Sri Lanka
Courtesy of Maya Villa

Hottest Travel Destinations of 2012: Sri LankaSri Lanka’s lush hill towns and pristine beaches have long appealed to a certain breed of worldly traveler, but the flare-ups of the country’s brutal on-again, off-again 26-year civil war kept all but the most devoted of them away. The conflict ended three years ago, and as a prolonged peace finally takes hold, this Indian Ocean island is on the cusp of a tourism boom.
Sri Lanka’s beach-lined southern coast, centered around the popular town of Bentota, is the country’s strongest draw—and big developers are moving in. The Minor Hotel Group chose the area to debut its sister brand to Anantara with last month’s launch of the 75-room Avani Bentota Resort & Spa (94-34/227-5353; doubles from $180) in a restored Geoffrey Bawa–designed building. A second Avani, a Six Senses resort, and a Shangri-La property are also in the works.
In the meantime, a handful of designers have opened boutique hotels, including the 15-room Villa Bentota (doubles from $224), the latest project from Sri Lankan tastemaker Shanth Fernando. Farther south, in Beliatta, Hong Kong decorator Niki Fairchild has turned a century-old house into the glamorous five-suite Maya (94-47/567-9025; doubles from $170).

In the northwest, an ambitious government scheme aims to transform the Kalpitiya peninsula into the country’s next big resort destination. Until those plans are realized, the laid-back Bar Reef Resort (94-777/352-200; doubles from $125) has airy cabanas and a quiet one-mile beach.
Perhaps the biggest peace dividend has been the reopening of the leopard- and elephant-filled Wilpattu National Park, in the northwest. Stay at the two-year-old Ulagalla Resort (doubles from $374), which has 20 thatched-roof bungalows on 58 acres an hour from the park. —Jennifer Chen
  

Toronto

Robert Harding Picture Library Ltd / Alamy

hottest travel destinations of 2012: TorontoIf all you know of Toronto is that it’s clean, safe, and able to double for New York City on film, then you haven’t been here in a while. The city has undergone a dramatic change in the past few years, led by remarkably hip restaurant, fashion, and nightlife scenes. Three locals give T+L their take on Toronto’s new style. —Jonathan Durbin
Cameron Bailey, Codirector of the Toronto International Film Festival
What characteristics would you identify as uniquely Torontonian?
We’re voracious cultural consumers. To be well-versed in both vintage dub reggae and different kinds of hot sauces from Asia is totally normal here.
Where do the film-industry players hang out during the festival?
The Hazelton Hotel’s One Restaurant (416/961-9600; dinner for two $250) is the hot spot. Locals like quieter places; Bar Italia (416/535-3621; dinner for two $95) is where director Atom Egoyan eats.
Has the city upped its style game?
Men’s style here used to be jeans and a lumberjack jacket. Now there are boutiques and tailor-made clothes.

 4

St. Vincent and the Grenadines


hottest travel destinations of 2012: St. Vincent and the GrenadinesNeil Selkirk / Courtesy of Petit St. Vincent
A string of 32 islands just south of St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines has long been an under-the-radar getaway for the jet-setting elite. But recent developments—including a $240 million airport set to open on St. Vincent next year—are making the region accessible to a broader audience. Built on volcanic black sand, the new Buccament Bay Resort (St. Vincent; 877/502-2022; doubles from $1,024, all-inclusive, three-night minimum) has 90 light-filled villas that gaze out on a secluded white-sand beach. Twenty miles south, tiny Mustique remains a playground for the likes of Mick Jagger and Tommy Hilfiger (and was a runner-up honeymoon pick for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge). A handful of new villas are now available to rent from the Mustique Company (villas from $7,000 per week), including the four-bedroom Mimosa, a contemporary affair with a pebbled infinity pool, private chef, and dedicated utility vehicle for exploring the isle. A more affordable option is the four-bedroom Liselund, on a hillside overlooking the sea. Nearby, the 44-year-old private-island resort of Petit St. Vincent (doubles from $1,050, all-inclusive) has reopened after a top-to-bottom makeover: 22 stone-walled, thatched-roof cottages are done up in earthy tones and driftwood palapas now line the beach. There’s also a waterside restaurant and a tree-house-style spa, where an open-air hot-stone massage is the perfect end to the day. —David Swanson

5

Guimarães, Portugal

hottest travel destinations of 2012: Guimaraes, PortugalCourtesy of Historico

A burst of cultural creativity and youthful energy is breathing new life into one of Portugal’s oldest cities. Here, how to make the most of your day there.
9 A.M.: Start the morning with breakfast on your private terrace overlooking the city at the hillside Pousada de Santa Marinha (351/253-415-969; doubles from $210), a ninth-century monastery turned hotel.
10 A.M.: Hike the six-mile Citânia de Briteiros, which leads to the dramatic ruins of an Iron Age settlement.
Noon: Don’t miss the small but high-quality selection of local products at Verde Inveja (351/ 253-554-020), including artisanal chocolates, traditional pottery, and soaps by the century-old Antiga Barbearia de Bairro.
1 P.M.: What Guimarães lacks in cutting-edge gastronomy it makes up for in well-executed traditional fare. About 20 minutes from town, the intimate São Gião (351/253-561-853; dinner for two $100) specializes in house-made foie gras; all manner of fish, roast meat, and game; and excellent Portuguese wines.
3 P.M.: For the latest in Portuguese music, theater, film, and art, take your pick between the Vila Flor Cultural Center (351/253-424-700), in an 18th-century palace downtown, and the new Center for Arts & Architecture Affairs, in the formerly industrial district of Rua Padre.
8 P.M.: Whether grilled, fried, or baked with bread crumbs, bacalhau (salt cod) is the dish to order at Histórico (351/915-429-700; dinner for two $65). Not a cod lover? The menu is also strong on other regional classics, such as cheese fondue and grilled octopus.
11 P.M.: Swing by the city’s oldest square, Largo da Oliveira—it’s full of lively cafés where locals gather to drink and people-watch until the wee hours. —Alexandra Marshall

6

Abu Dhabi

hottest travel destinations of 2012: Abu DhabiCourtesy of YAS Viceroy Hotel

Move over, Dubai: The capital of the United Arab Emirates is booming, with starchitect museums and high-design hotels on Saadiyat island and beyond remaking the skyline.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi (2014): Frank Gehry’s new Guggenheim will be the foundation’s largest location, and will recall Arabian wind towers and courtyards.
Louvre Abu Dhabi (2014): Created by Jean Nouvel, the floating domelike structure will showcase a range of international artwork on loan from the Paris flagship.
Zayed National Museum (2014): Five soaring, wing-shaped towers designed by London-based Foster & Partners will house an exhibition on the UAE.
St. Regis: Overlooking miles of white sand, the just-opened resort includes 377 spacious rooms and seven restaurants and lounges. stregis.com.
Park Hyatt: The new Park Hyatt is surrounded by an 18-hole golf course and a protected turtle-nesting habitat.
Rocco Forte Hotel: The wavy, blue-and-green glass building created by WS Atkins & Partners, of London, mirrors the colors of the gulf.
Yas Viceroy Hotel: Made up of two steel-and-glass towers linked by a bridge, this futuristic hotel, built by Asymptote Architecture, is now part of the Viceroy chain.
Monte-Carlo Beach Club: Saadiyat’s first beach club has a spa, poolside cabanas, and gulf-front restaurants. —Vinita Bharadwaj

7

Costa Navarino, Greece

Hottest Travel Destinations of 2012: Costa Navarino, Greece
Courtesy of Starwood Hotels & Resorts

Greece’s economy may have seen better days, but that hasn’t stopped the tourism industry from moving forward. Take the region of Messenia, the westernmost finger of the hand-shaped Peloponnese peninsula, filled with sun-drenched valleys, Byzantine churches, and sandy dunes that border the crystal-blue Ionian Sea. The area has remained virtually unknown to travelers, who have traditionally preferred the white-sand beaches of the Greek islands. But Costa Navarino, a new resort complex set on 2,500 acres, is aiming to change that, turning this low-profile stretch of coastline into Europe’s newest Riviera.
Costa Navarino is ambitious and international, with several hotel partners. Starwood opened a Westin resort and the Romanos, a Luxury Collection hotel, last year; a Banyan Tree is slated to debut in 2013. But it’s also intensely local. At the Starwood properties, more than 75 percent of the staff is from surrounding villages and guests are encouraged to spend an evening at the house of a Messenian family. The low-slung villas are made from native stone and have Greek art from the 17th century, and treatments at the 43,000-square-foot spa are based on 4,500-year-old recipes found at King Nestor’s palace nearby. With rates much lower than at similar hotels in Mykonos and Santorini, this quiet slice of the Peloponnese might just experience a Greek revival. Westin doubles from $276; Romanos doubles from $193. —Eleni N. Gage

8

Xishuangbanna, China

Hottest Travel Destinations of 2012: Xishuangbanna, ChinaDBimages / Alamy

Yunnan is thronged with visitors both Chinese and international—but this untamed corner of the province at the foot of the Himalayas is still largely overlooked. With rain forests, Buddhist temples, tribal villages, and China’s last remaining wild elephants, it’s the place to get a cultural fix without the crowds.
Stay: Xishuangbanna enjoyed a brief vogue with domestic travelers two decades ago, so it has some basic hotels. But the Anantara Xishuangbanna Resort & Spa (86-691/871-7777; doubles from $350) will set a new standard when it opens this spring. The province’s first luxury retreat faces the banks of the winding Luosuo River in the bucolic town of Menglun. The 103 rooms, some with private pools, will have gabled roofs and lotus motifs. The restaurant will showcase the indigenous cuisine.
See: The local ethnic groups—Dai, Hani, Yi, and others—share Southeast Asian ancestry, making Xishuangbanna’s culture feel less Chinese and more a blend of Thai, Lao, and Burmese. Stroll through Manfeilong, a traditional Dai village, at dawn and you’ll hear the chants of Buddhist monks and watch the sun rise over an 11th-century pagoda. Visit plantations growing Yunnan’s coveted, smoky Pu-erh tea leaves. Nearby, the 2,200-acre Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden has more than 1,000 species, including fig trees, bamboo, and orchids.
Experience: For a more immersive trip, Wild China leads treks through Dai market towns and verdant river valleys, and organizes stays with local families. Guests can extend their trip to follow the Mekong into northern Thailand. —Jennifer Chen

9

Southern Bahia, Brazil

Hottest Travel Destinations of 2012: Southern Bahia, BrazilCourtesy of Fazenda Sao Francisco do Corumbau

The Pataxó people got it right when they named their Bahian village Corumbau—“far from everything.” It’s only about 30 miles from Porto Seguro airport, but the dirt roads make for a bumpy, four-hour drive. Yet the same venturesome Brazilians who turned nearby Trancoso from sleepy to chic are calling Corumbau and neighboring Caraíva the country’s next hot spots. And the helicopter takes just 20 minutes.
Corumbau: Once you finally get here from Porto Seguro—the most adventurous option requires a beach buggy, wooden raft, and dugout canoe—you may want nothing more than to lie on a beach, sipping an açai juice. But there’s plenty to keep you busy: snorkeling the pristine coral reef; mastering the local spearfishing technique; hiking through dense tropical forest. Clothing designer Renata Mellão’s Vila Naiá (55-11/3061-1872; doubles from $800, including meals) has eight sexy bungalows and suites, outfitted in bold fabrics and recycled driftwood and connected by boardwalks. A more secluded option is Fazenda São Francisco do Corumbau (55-11/3078-4411; doubles from $800, including meals), where 10 light-filled cabins face nine miles of deserted beach, and fresh seafood is matched with produce from the garden. gatwick taxis
Caraíva: Six miles north of Corumbau is a town that’s the epitome of Brazil’s no-fuss beachside life. Wooden houses splashed in shades of mustard, lime, and peach line a tangled web of streets too sandy for cars; the chief mode of transport is mule. Show up for a 4 p.m. lunch of moqueca (fish stew) at the Boteco do Pará (55-73/9991-9804; lunch for two $40), whose tables are shaded by an almond tree. Hotels here are rustic; the best is Pousada Lagoa (55-73/3668-5059; doubles from $86), where five brightly painted bungalows are scattered across a lush garden. At the other extreme is Fazenda Caraíva (55-21/2225-9476; from $4,810, including breakfast and dinner), a three-bedroom villa designed by local architect Ricardo Salem. It sits on a forested promontory, drawing publicity-shy execs and celebrities. —Colin Barraclough


10

Hamburg, Germany

hottest travel destinations of 2012: Hamburg, Germany
Courtesy of HafenCity Hamburg GmbH

Hamburg has always been a cosmopolitan city, with the famously louche St. Pauli district (where the Beatles played some early club dates) rubbing up against the monied quarters built by shipping and banking fortunes. Despite a slew of sleek postwar glass towers, however, Hamburg has never been known for design. That’s bound to change with the HafenCity development, a hypermodern showpiece that’s rising on the city’s old docklands. The 388-acre mega-project is being built in phases (it’s not due for completion until 2025), but it’s already giving Hamburg a welcome jolt of architectural glitz, with a handful of new hotels, boutiques, and restaurants drawing in the style set. Herzog & de Meuron’s Elbphilharmonie Concert Hall, where performances will start in 2014, is the star of the show, resembling an enormous ship passing through fog—a trick of treated glass that seems to bend and twist in the silvery light. The building looms over HafenCity’s completed, visitor-ready Am Sandtorkai/Dalmannkai quarter, an enclave of trophy apartments built over canals. Entering feels a bit like going back in time; you cross over a canal and through a series of enormous 19th-century brick warehouses. But beyond this historic ring, everything is brand-new and topsy-turvy, with nary a straight line in sight. The Marco Polo Tower, a luxury residential building, exemplifies the off-kilter aesthetic: a narrow-waisted, broad-shouldered structure with terraces angled so that the whole building seems to be wriggling away. HafenCity is so new you can still smell the construction dust, but it’s already shifting the city’s center of gravity.

 Stay: Book a corner unit with a view at the ultrahip, nautical-style 25hours Hotel HafenCity. 49-40/257-7770; doubles from $144.
Eat: Carls serves French-accented German fare (lobster bisque; dill-scented haddock). 49-40/300-322-400; dinner for two $105.
Shop: Witty Knitters sells Jutta Schweiger’s cashmere knits in an Alice in Wonderland setting. 49-40/211-117-911. —Ralph Martin

Panama

Hottest Travel Destinations of 2012: PanamaWhitney Lawson

Shedding its reputation as a sunny haven for shady characters, Panama is courting high fliers by giving everything an upgrade—hotels, museums, and even that famous canal.
The Beach Buzz: Solace seekers typically head to Panama’s Caribbean coast, leaving the Pacific beaches to the surfers. But boldface names—Angelina Jolie; Michael Jordan—have been spotted in the remote Pacific village of Pedasí, four hours from the capital. Most visitors stay at the rustic-but-stylish El Sitio Hotel (011-507/832-1010; doubles from $99) or in a beachfront loft at Villa Camilla Hotel & Resort (011-507/232-0171; doubles from $200).
The Passion Project: Frank Gehry’s Biomuseo will finally open this winter on Panama City’s Amador Causeway after a decade of fits and starts. Gehry—whose wife is Panamanian—was aided by industrial designer Bruce Mau and landscape architect Edwina von Gal in the $90 million project, a series of rain-forest-like gardens and biosphere galleries.
The Next Great Neighborhood: Panama City’s atmospheric Casco Antiguo (Old Town) is being scrubbed up for travelers lured by its 17th-century cathedral and crumbling mansions. The six-room Las Clementinas (011-507/228-7613; doubles from $250; dinner for two $50)—whose owner is a pioneer in the area’s preservation efforts—captures the colonial-chic vibe. Its restaurant serves Panamanian comfort food such as coconut-spiked risotto and ropa vieja.
The Luxury Boom: Five-star hotels are rising in Panama City to house business travelers and South Americans on weekend jaunts. The sail-shaped Trump Ocean Club (855/878–6700; doubles from $319) opened last year, as did Le Méridien (800/543-4300; doubles from $230). Also new: the South Beach–style Hotel Manrey (011-507/203-0000; doubles from $224).
The Big Dig: The Panama Canal is two years from completion of a $5.2 billion expansion that will double its capacity—just in time for its 100th birthday—and fit supersize cruise liners, such as Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2 and nine Princess Grand Class vessels. The 2004 Miraflores Visitor Center (011-507/276-8325), located canalside 30 minutes from downtown, sheds light on the project’s history. —David Kaufman
12

Mozambique’s Northern Coast

hottest travel destinations of 2012: Mozambique's Northern CoastCourtesy of Azura

This stretch of Indian Ocean coastline has upped the ante in recent years, with rustic-chic beach retreats giving way to polished lodges and ultra-luxe resorts to rival those of Mauritius and the Seychelles.
Vamizi Island Lodge: Lining a mile-long beach in the far northern Quirimbas, a ribbon of 32 coral islands near the Tanzanian border, Vamizi has 15 villas decked out with marble showers and ocean-view dining rooms. There’s no TV, but you can watch the samango monkeys and tropical birds that make Vamizi home. 44-1285/762-218; doubles from $590.
Ibo Island Lodge: Located in the cultural heart of the Quirimbas, Ibo’s trio of colonial-era mansions reflects the island’s centuries-old Arab, Indian, and Portuguese heritage. Wide verandas have hand-carved teak daybeds, while the nine rooms come dressed with Indian silk throws. The lodge takes guests on island-hopping dhow safaris. 27-21/702-0285; doubles from $730.
Azura at Quilalea Private Island: The nine coral stone-and-thatch bungalows of Azura, set on the southern end of the Quirimbas, look onto a protected deepwater bay where Portuguese and Arab traders once docked their dhows. 27-76/705-0599; doubles from $1,190.
Coral Lodge 15.41: This 10-villa property combines local woods and colorful African accents with plush amenities such as a seaside spa and an infinity pool. Perched on a peninsula a short boat ride from Ilha de Moçambique, the 16th-century Portuguese colonial capital, Coral Lodge arranges tours of the island’s ruins. 258-266/60003; doubles from $850.
Nuarro: Tucked into the lush dunes of the Baixo do Pinda peninsula, 100 miles north of Ilha de Moçambique, Nuarro’s 12 thatched-roof bungalows have sweeping bay views out front and a rugged panorama of bush and baobab forest. 258-82/301-4294; doubles from $590. —Douglas Rogers
13

Bentonville, Arkansas

hottest travel destinations of 2012: Bentonville, ArkansasCourtesy of Crystal Bridges Museum

Until now, Bentonville, Arkansas, has been famous for one thing: it’s the home of big-box retailer Walmart. But Alice Walton, youngest heir to the empire, is using a large share of her wealth—estimated by Forbes at $21 billion—to transform the region into a world-class cultural destination. The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art (479/418-5700), opened in November, is a showcase for Walton’s impressive collection—and an audacious gamble that a large-scale arts institution can thrive in the Ozarks.
To hedge her if-you-build-it-they-will-come bet, Walton hired architect Moshe Safdie to design the museum, set on 120 wooded acres just outside town. He created a series of gently curving pavilions hovering dramatically around and over ponds fed by natural springs. Walton also approached 21c Museum Hotels—which put Louisville, Kentucky, on the art-world map—about opening a property in town. (Designed by Deborah Berke, it’s due next January.) Her biggest investment may be the collection itself, bought at often eyebrow-raising prices and covering the full sweep of American art, from Colonial portraitists Gilbert Stuart and John Singleton Copley to 19th-century masters Winslow Homer and Thomas Eakins, with a splash of contemporary art (Andy Warhol; Roxy Paine; Jenny Holzer) thrown in.
The museum is already being touted by some as a countrified Guggenheim Bilbao—and Walton herself as a latter-day Morgan or Frick, digging deep into her pockets and dreaming big. This may be enough to attract culture seekers from around the country, if not the world. But there’s another enticement. In true Walmart spirit, they’re rolling back prices here, too: admission is free. —Stephen Wallis
Heathrow taxis

Thursday 8 December 2011

Qatar Airways starting fifth daily Heathrow flight


Report by Dominic Ellis
Qatar Airways is to introduce a fifth daily flight between Doha and London Heathrow from the start of the Northern Summer schedules on March 25 next year.
QR075 will depart Doha at 0635 and arrive London Heathrow at 1200, with QR076 departing Heathrow at 1600, arriving Doha at 0050 the next day.
The additional service, served by a B777 with 42 business class seats, takes route capacity up from 28 to 35 flights each week.
Flight times have been scheduled to dovetail with the carrier’s Asia Pacific network.
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker said the additional capacity reflected the growing importance of London to the airline's international operations and would also help meet demand for the Olympics taking place next summer.
"London has been one of our best-performing routes and it was only a matter of time before we could look at increasing frequency to meet the high demand," he said. "With the global spotlight also turning on London for next summer’s Olympics, we look forward to facilitating travel for sports lovers to what promises to be a great spectacle."

Thursday 1 December 2011

8 Common Air-travel Snafus

8 Common Air-Travel Snafus (And How to Beat Them)

From missing your flight to losing your passport, flying can be full of nasty surprises. Check out Budget Travel's insider tips for coping with, and avoiding, these headaches
By Sean O'Neill




YOU FACE A SURPRISE LAYOVER


Airlines can cancel your nonstop flight without much warning and rebook you on a flight with connections.

Why it matters: Nonstop flights usually cost top dollar, but an airline can make such a change without reimbursing you for the premium you paid. That means a financial loss—not to mention an inconvenience.
How to deal: When you learn about the change (usually via text or e-mail notification from the airline, see below), check online to see if there's another nonstop flight available. If there is, call the airline and politely ask to be put on that flight at no additional cost. If your airline has no nonstop flights (even though it sold you one), ask for a refund. Major airlines will comply without charging any change fees if you refuse to accept a new, multistop flight that arrives at your destination more than two hours later than originally scheduled, says Brett Snyder, former airline pricing analyst and current aviation blogger at the Cranky Flier.
Trick to avoid the problem: At the end of the month, many cancellations on U.S. carriers may be due to flight crews reaching caps on the number of hours they're allowed to work, or so we've heard anecdotally through airline employees. Logic holds that, by adding a layover to a flight, airlines can swap out a fresh crew to fly the final leg of a journey. The lesson: When possible, fly early in the month to reduce the chance of a nonstop switcheroo. Insider tip: Sign up to receive text or e-mail notifications about delays and other flight changes when you buy your ticket.

YOU'RE NOT FLYING THE AIRLINE YOU EXPECTED

Two airlines may sell seats on the same flight through a sales strategy called code sharing. This means that you may book your ticket with one airline, but you'll be flying one of its partners.
Why it matters: This sleight of hand can make it confusing to know which airline's customer-service office you should call for help when a problem crops up. For instance, one airline may allow you to check a bag for free, while the other may charge a fee. Whose rules apply on your code-share flight?
How to deal: First, it's important to understand that the flight rules that apply are the ones of the company whose logo is on the plane flying you. But when it comes to re-ticketing, you usually need to talk to the airline that took your money. For instance, if you miss your connecting flight and need to rebook, the gate agent is likely to refer you to the airline you originally bought the ticket from.
Trick to avoid the problem: Keep your eye out for code-share flights so you're prepared. Some travel websites, like Expedia, point out which airline you're truly flying on under the flight details section in their search results. In other cases, you have to call an airline to find out. Insider tip: If you're in need of help at the airport, ask to be pointed to the customer-service counter for the airline that took your money in the first place. If there isn't such a counter at the terminal, ask to speak on a phone to the "duty airport manager" for the airline that sold you the ticket, says David Rowell, publisher of The Travel Insider. This is the person who manages the day-to-day operations of the airline at that particular airport and who can usually help you resolve your issue.


YOUR FLIGHT GETS CANCELED

Your aircraft has to be taken out of service because it needs maintenance—or a snowstorm keeps it grounded.
Why it matters: If you need to cancel, an airline will usually allow you to use the value of your "nonrefundable" ticket on another flight within a year (while also charging you a change fee, of course). But when the airline is the one doing the canceling, it will most likely rebook you on a later one, which could leave you stranded at the airport for hours—or even days.
How to deal: In the U.S., if your flight is canceled for a cause that's within the airline's control, such as a mechanical failure on the aircraft, some airlines will provide modest compensation, like vouchers for meals. But when it comes to weather cancellation, and you're a coach-class passenger, you're on your own until they can rebook you on the next flight, which means you'll be paying for all of your meals and your hotel room. If you're flying from or within Europe, the airline may owe you compensation for cancellations (ask an agent about EU rule 261).

Trick to avoid the problem: Try to book early morning flights, when there's a full day ahead for airlines to recover from any weather or operational delays. Insider tip: Before you book, check to see a flight's statistical average for cancellations at flightstats.com (listed under the on-time performance rating). Consider that it may be worth peace of mind to book an alternate flight that has a lower historical average of cancellations, even if that option costs a bit more.

YOU'RE BUMPED FROM A FLIGHT

Last year, airlines bumped 681,105 passengers from flights in this country (8.7 percent of these individuals were bumped against their will). Overbooking is to blame.
Why it matters: If you volunteer to give up your seat, you'll be rebooked and usually rewarded with a free flight pass to use at another time. But if you're unlucky enough to be kicked off a domestic flight against your will, you're at the mercy of the airline's schedule. With planes often flying at capacity today, it could be a long while before you reach your destination.

How to deal: If you're bumped involuntarily, know your legal rights: Being placed on another flight within an hour scores you no compensation. Yet when it takes up to two hours on a domestic flight (or four hours for international travel), the airline must pay you double the value of your one-way fare, up to a maximum of $650. If you'remore than two hours delayed, you'll be reimbursed four times the value of your one-way ticket, up to $1,300 max. Flying in Europe? Rules are similar, with possible compensation up to $874.
Trick for avoiding the problem: Check in via the airline's website as soon as you're allowed—usually 24 hours before departure. Early check-in may boost the chance that you'll make it onto a flight. Insider tip: When it comes to reimbursement, federal law entitles you to cash for being bumped against your will. The airline may try to give you a voucher for a free future flight instead. Insist on the cash, which is obviously less restrictive than a voucher. But if you're volunteering to give up your seat, don't be pushy about receiving cash. In that case, airlines aren't required to give you anything, so a gracious "thank you" is all that's called for.

YOU MISS YOUR FLIGHT

Sometimes travelers show up too late for their flight because of traffic or other snafus.
Why it matters: Booking a new, eleventh-hour plane ticket can be costly.
How to deal: Whatever the reason, if you miss your flight on a nonrefundable ticket, you can usually pay a change fee—typically between $150 and $200 on a domestic flight—and be rebooked on a new one. You generally also have to pay for the difference between your new ticket's price and the original fare. Policies on overseas airlines may vary, but expect to pay in the ballpark of $250.
Trick to avoid the problem: Your mother was right: Showing up early is the smart thing to do. Other tricks can give you an edge when life doesn't cooperate: Don't bring bags to check, so that it'll be much faster for agents to allow you to board—even if you've missed the check-in cut-off time (see below). Insider tip: Find out in advance the airline's cut-off time for checking in by going to seatguru.com <http://www.seatguru.com/>, picking your airline, and clicking on the "Check-in" tab. For example, Continental's policies at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson airport requires check-in to be completed 45 minutes before departure or else you may be denied boarding. If you're en route to the airport and realize you're going to miss your flight, look up alternative flight times (and seat availability) via an app like TripCase, which is free for devices such as the AndroidiPhone, and BlackBerry.


YOU DON'T FIT IN YOUR SEAT

If you're super tall or extremely overweight, you may not fit in the typical airplane seat.
Why it matters: Consider how flight attendants on a recent Horizon Air flight forced a six-foot-nine-inch-tall passenger to leave a plane because his legs were blocking the aisle. The airline later apologized, saying it should have instead had the flier trade seats with another passenger in the roomier exit row. Plus-size passengers have also been in the news in recent years: Airlines increasingly insist that passengers who can't fit in a seat with a seatbelt extender buy an additional seat.
How to deal: When you have trouble fitting in your seat, ask a flight attendant if he or she could arrange for a swap between you and another passenger who may have more legroom or free space on either side.
Trick to avoid the problem: Check in online 24 hours prior to departure and select a seat assignment in the roomy exit row. If that's not possible, call the airline, explain your problem, and buy an adjacent seat. Insider tip: If you do buy a second ticket, ask the gate agent what your airline's policy is on refunding the price of the spare seat if it turns out that you can sit comfortably without it—some airlines will reimburse the cost if they have made a note ahead of time in the reservations system.


YOUR LUGGAGE, OR SOMETHING INSIDE, IS DAMAGED

Your suitcase isn't insured by the airline for wear and tear. But if something inside your bag is damaged, it may be covered.

Why it matters: On domestic flights, a passenger can recover up to $3,300 for damaged or lost contents of luggage. Liability on most international flights is less, strangely enough, at about $1,500 a passenger.
How to deal: Report a claim within 24 hours, or else you may lose your chance to file for reimbursement. Be prepared to itemize your belongings.

Trick to avoid the problem: Never pack anything fragile or difficult to replace in your checked luggage. For instance, airlines almost never cover jewelry or electronics. Even breakable items such as musical instruments that aren't packed in hard-sided cases are usually not covered by U.S. airlines. Just ask Dave Carroll, the musician who made a famous YouTube video about how his guitar was damaged to the tune of $1,200 by United baggage handlers. Insider tip: If your bag's contents are critical, ship them by a service such as FedEx or UPS. Because of rising checked-baggage fees, major shipping services are increasingly competitive in their rates. Just be sure to call your hotel first to make sure it will accept your package for delivery without charging a fee.

YOU LOSE YOUR PASSPORT

Perhaps you got pickpocketed or lost your day pack. Either way, your passport has gone the way of your cash and credit cards. Talk about headaches.

Why it matters: Without a U.S. passport, you won't be able to return to the country. (Vacations are nice, but who wants to become an accidental expat?)
How to deal: Passports can often be issued at a U.S. embassy on the same day if you can prove your identity (the U.S. Department of State has a full list of embassies and consulate offices around the world). Of course, it's hard to prove your identity when your wallet—and everything in it—is MIA. The best first step in this situation is to go to a police station to get a statement declaring your situation. Take this statement to the embassy, and they should be able to retrieve your information in their system. You will need to pay a fee (around $135) to replace your passport.

Trick to avoid the problem: Stash your passport in a hotel safe or stuff it in a security pouch, such as the Rick Steves Silk Money Belt, which you can wear under your clothes (from $10, Amazon). Insider tip: Before you depart, sign up for the U.S. Department of State's free Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. Store your passport number and other details in its online database, making it easy for you to receive emergency assistance from a U.S. embassy or consulate during an emergency. Alternatively, e-mail a scan of your passport to yourself at a Web-based account, which you can access if you lose your passport and you need to look up its number and issue date to request a new one.

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