One in four Australians have made mistakes while booking flights or holidays online, according to a recent survey by Luxury Escapes.
The survey of 10,000 respondents showed men were most fallible, with 28% of them making mistakes compared to 25% of females to do so.
“Online travel is great because it allows consumers to save money and offers more freedom and flexibility. However, mistakes can easily happen and can sometimes end up costing you the money you've saved by booking online,” LuxuryEscapes.com Adam Schwab said.
“The most common mistake Australians make when booking travel online is not reading the fine print. So take the time to do it to avoid any unexpected costs. Pay extra attention to validity periods, extra person surcharges, kids' policies, transfers costs as well as cancellation and amendment policy,” Schwab said.
The survey revealed other common mistakes include entering the wrong name into the booking form, confusing price per person with price per room and booking hotel dates that don't match flight dates.
“If you're travelling between different time zones, make sure to double check your arrival date with the airline before booking your hotel stay,” Schwab said.
“A good idea is to have your partner or friend read through all the travel details before booking and paying,” Schwab suggested.
The survey showed 40% of those booking online cited the main reason was to save money, and 40% said it was more convenient. 16% surveyed said they chose to book online to access more options.
