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Useful Links for the Traveller

Useful Links for the Traveller

Disclaimer. travelwatchdog provides access to these links in the hope that they will prove useful and save travellers valuable preparation time. We are not in a position to recommend any of the services on this list and do not accept responsibility for the consequences arising from their use.

Airline Facilities/Comfort

For the best site for details about airlines and comprehensive assessments of what they offer. Go to http://www.airlinequality.com/

General Advice on Travel Problems

Which consumer site offers  excellent guidance for travellers at: http://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/problem/travel-and-leisure/

Air Transport Users Council

Sadly the Air Transport Users Council has ceased to exist and problems are to be referred to the CAA. The link is: http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=2211&pageid=12725

Health & Preparation

NHS (Scotland) offers the public access to its web site to people travelling abroad from the UK. It can be accessed at: www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
There are a number of American sites offering very current health information to travellers to specific destinations of which ‘Centers for Disease Control and Prevention” is probably the most authoritative. The site also offers information about particular diseases and disease control. Go to: www.cdc.gov/travel

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

This is the official government information site covering all aspects of travel, with up-to-date information on potentially dangerous areas, tips on laws and customs abroad and what to do in case of trouble. Go to: www.fco.gov.uk

MASTA

The MASTA web site provides travellers and health professionals with facts about immunisations and anti malarial tablets, jet lag and DVT. There is also a wealth of other information of use to travellers. Go to: http://www.masta-travel-health.com/

World Health Organisation

The WHO International travel and health section gives authoritative information about the risks to which travellers are exposed and the precautions needed to protect their health. The information is intended for medical professionals but can be useful to all. Go to: www.who.int/ith

General Shopping
Shopping-Links.net / Travel - Travel Web Directory

Air Safety

Airsafe provides a wealth of information about airlines and their safety records. this site also features the top 10 airline safety tips for passengers. Go to: http://www.airsafe.com/

Yahoo Search Page on Safety
http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=fp-pull-web-t and p=Airline+Safetyarch.yahoo.com/search?fr=fp-pull-web-t and p=Airline+Safety

Smoking & Health

With the general reduction in smoking, more and more travellers suffer problems when they travel to overseas destinations where smoking is still prevailent. It can spoil a holiday, but we tend to forget that smoking has wider consequences and each year destroys millions of lives.  Most UK readers are aware of the UK sites that deal with this problem, but few will be aware of these two USA sites that help to tackle the problem:

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/tobacco/smoking/

http://quitsmokingcommunity.org/

 

A station on the Transsiberian Railway - Not surprisingly there are many examples of steam locomotives used as historical decoration

Fear of Flying

One of the major problems many have to overcome is their apprehension about flying. Fortunately there are a number of sources that offer help. Among these are:

Virgin Programme : http://flyingwithoutfear.info/

http://www.hypnosisaudio.com - and http://www.hypnotherapy-directory.org.uk/articles/fearofflying.html

Tackling the problem through hypnosis

www.flyingrelaxed.co.uk

www.justbewell.com

http://www.airdisaster.com/fearofflying/

http://www.fearofflyinghelp.com/ - Free course for those with fear of flying

If you are looking for good information on weather etc.at a specific destination, try: http://www.wtgonline.com/country.asp Its a muddled site, but it can be worth the effort.

Insurance

Insurance is available from any number of companies. Remember, you do not have to buy from the Travel Agent - you will almost certainly pay too much for your cover if you do!

If you have difficulty in getting insurance due to age, go to: www.ageconcern.org.uk - They do not impose an age limit.

www.seniorsnetwork.co.uk  has lots of useful information

EXPEDIA

If like many people you have had problems with Expedia.com, you will find this site of interest: http://www.victimsofexpedia.com

Jobs

Looking for work in the USA? Try this link

Golf Travel & Marketing - GolfLincsUK

Common Scams

I am grateful to a USA correspondent for steering me to these links:

Common Fraud Schemes http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/fraud

Phone Scams | Consumer Information http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0076-phone-scams

Preventing Home Improvement Fraud http://www.homeadvisor.com/article.show.Preventing-Home-Improvement-Fraud.17322.html

General Online Safety Resources http://www.staysafeonline.org/stay-safe-online/

How to Avoid Being a Victim of Credit Card Fraud https://www.kanetix.ca/prevent-credit-card-fraud

Guide to Shopping Online Safely http://www.onguardonline.gov/articles/0020-shopping-online

International Lottery Scams http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0086-international-lottery-scams

Top 10 Scams Targeting Seniors: http://www.ncoa.org/enhance-economic-security/economic-security-Initiative/savvy-saving-seniors/top-10-scams-targeting.html

 

 

An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less, until eventually he knows everything about nothing - Anon