alexcheeseman

What are the top 3 must-do-things whilst in Bangkok?

Virgin Atlantic emergency exit seats

I love the emergency exit seats when I travel. You can currently only get emergency exits when flying with Virgin at check-in on the day of travel. They normally cost around £75 per leg, which is in my opinion is a fair price.

However they have 2 seperate emergency exit seats by the window that they allocate for free. You need to ask for them specifically and I only know the seat I had on the way back from LAX which was 51A. Still if you don't ask you don't get!

South America tips

Would be great to have some tips for South America. Any amazing places you should stay, hidden secrets, top tips or recommendations? Would love to hear about them as I'm off to Brazil and Argentina for New Year. Thank you.

Is is best to book in advance or last minute - discuss!

I'd always recommend booking your scheduled airline flights as way in advance as possible - the closer to the travel date the more expensive they tend to be.

If it is a "package holiday" that you are after then as long as you're not completely set on a particular hotel/resort, you'll normally save yourself a lot of money by booking last minute.

Great tip! After a long-haul flight I always try to get some exercise wether it's going for a run or going to the gym to beat the jet lag. Next time I'm going to take a bike for a few hours, get some fresh air and see some sights.

That's right - isn't there a range of "Chic" hostels? I am sure that the YHA lists a castle in Scotland as one of it's venues?

Get the best hotel rooms

I always email the hotel that I am staying at to let them know that the reservation is for a special occasion. I always ask if they have a "special room" that they can allocate to me prior to my arrival. If you have the patience it's also worth asking to check a couple of rooms once you've arrived just to make sure you've got the best one.

I had a friend who lived just outside of Kerala for £40 a month. He stayed with a local family who allowed him to eat with them once a day and drink as much tea as he wanted. 10 years basic living by a beautiful beach for £4800 sounds like a dream.

This is perfect - the best travel tips come from those that have spent their time exploring!

Depends on the type of fare - sometimes 24 hours, sometimes months. There many types of fares for economy passengers allowing greater degrees of flexibility witht the ticket. Ask your travel agent about the "various booking classes"

I heard that Chuck Norris has his own plane?

Chuck Norris doesn't use the airplane radio. He just yells.

Chuck Norris never "loses" altitude, he simply gets rid of it when he no longer has any use for it.

Chuck Norris has never landed with a crosswind. The wind would never dare get cross with Chuck Norris.

Chuck Norris was once denied a clearance...once.

IT air fares

Ask your travel agent about "IT air fares" - these are air fares that are booked with accommodation; but are often cheaper than regular air fares. The biggest savings are on first and business class trips, but depending upon time of year, can also save you a lot of money with economy and premium tickets. More tips to follow......

Love the product placement - but where is the sea.

Sign up to newsletters

If you like spa hotels - sign up to a number of hotels you like and wait for their "Special offers" to come through. If it's cheap flights you are after sign up to newsletters from Expedia and Opodo. If it is cheap holidays - try travelmole, lastminute and Thomas Cook. E-newsletters are normally the best way to stay informed.

Tip of the day - Flying over peak periods

Always books or reserve your seats as far in advance as possible. The closer your book to departure the more expensive the flight becomes. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that flight seats are released about 300 days prior to departure? So if you're planning on travelling over Christmas and New Year, start looking for flights around the end of February.

This is how to fly... Has anyone seen the suites in the A380?

Emergency exit seats

Ask at check in for the emergency exit seats. Sometimes they'll allocate them to you for free or at a discount. All that extra space is worth it for those long haul flights.

Get a great "round the world" travel agent

A great travel agent is worth their weight in gold. They are able to hold off airline fares at a fixed price whilst you make a final decision as to your final journey. They can wait-list air fares for you, which could result in cheaper tickets. They have access to air fares that you just cannot get on the internet - especially for some of the less known domestic routes. If you want contact details for someone "great" - drop me a line!

Hotel bookings - Always call reservations

Always phone a hotel directly to compare any internet prices you've seen. On occasions they may have a rate they will offer you that is below the online price. Always worth checking!

Frequent flyer cards... a must have

Always register a frequent flyer card for your flight. Also worth getting an alliance card to register the miles with as well. Having a frequent flyer card also helps if you want to reserve your actual seat allocation in advance. If seat allocation is not available online, it's worth checking with your travel agent as they sometimes have advance access. Great for those 2 - 4 - 2 flights!!!

Reserve airline seats and prices without paying

The majority of travel agents that are able to sell airline tickets are able to reserve fares on airlines without cost. This means you can ask a travel agent to hold some seats for you for a period of time without paying them. During this time you can search around for alternative fares or cheaper fares without the cost of your original fare changing (unless there is a change in airline tax).