Made any travel mistakes lately?

[Seat0B]

Just at the end of a five week trip to Europe. I think I might have a paragraph or two to write soon. Still on the plane so I won't jump in quite yet. But I've got a few tales to tell that's for sure

Great teaser @Warks! I await with interest as we have some Europe travel coming up in Aug/Sep and I love, love, love learning from other people as I really don't have the time to make all the mistakes myself

 

[Warks]

Okay I'll start at the beginning.

Flew SYD-SIN-MXP. We had a couple of small day packs, a large wheeled bag and a small backpack which could easily pass as cabin baggage and I usually take it on board.

However, as it happened we checked both our bags right through to Milan (with an overnight stopover in SIN) to save the hassle of carrying for that night.

On arrival in Milan (Malpensa, which is a looong way from Milan) we got to the baggage carousel and spotted our large case, grabbing it with glee due to its prompt arrival and headed out into the terminal.

We sat down to look up info for the bus transfer to Milan and set up my e-SIM then I went to look for something in the second bag... when I realised I'd forgotten to collect it. Okay I'll just walk back through... er, no... (too much domestic travel)...okay now what?

Luckily I stopped a woman in airport uniform and told her my predicament. She told me to head up past [something I didn't understand] to Lost and Found.

After some searching I found the entrance where I had to go through security and the staff member at the desk said something like "you look lost, my friend, what are you requiring?" so I told them and they pointed me back into the carousel area which was along a very weird long corridor with a few mysterious doors and occasional travellators along it (I was expecting to be challenged at any moment) until I arrived back at the carousel and there was my bag! Headed back outside to start my adventure.

No harm done.

 

[Flyfrequently]

You need to do what @Seat0B and I do @Warks - count our bags (me out loud!!)

 

[serfty]

No harm done.

Except, I imagine, for the relative stress you must have initially endured.

I experienced similar back in the 00's when I was in the SYD domestic Qantas lounge happily awaiting my connecting flight to MEL after arriving from LAX. I'd suddenly remembered I'd been forced to check a bag and as far as I knew that bag was still circling a carousell back in international.

Anyway I approached the lounge service desk and after a few anxious minutes and a few calls I was told my bag would be waiting for me in MEL.

And it was.

 

[Warks]

You need to do what @Seat0B and I do @Warks - count our bags (me out loud!!)

I was on guard back in SYD, that's for sure. Of course the second bag came out way before the big bag this time to save further embarrassment!

 

[Brissy1]

Lost my credit card yesterday, 1st time in 50 years. It fell out of the phone wallet.
Not really a "travel" mistake unless walking from a Brisbane train station to Uber counts, but relaying now my Macquarie bank app experience.
Put temporary stop on card, quick and easy just a few taps.
Short while later realised card was really lost so cancelled it and ordered replacement, quick and easy just a few taps.
Then the clever bit, within a minute new electronic card issued and automatically updated in the Google wallet, I can use the card. I'm impressed.

 

[Warks]

Okay here's another one, not me but Mrs Warks. We arrived too early to get into our room in our Milan hotel so we left our bags and the staff said we could use the downstairs bathroom before we headed back out. When I went I was looking around trying to work out how to flush the toilet and spotted a hanging string but also saw a pedal so used that. I came out to hear an alarm going off... Mrs Warks had pulled on the string! Which was a disabled alarm in case you needed assistance. I rushed up to reception to tell them not to worry about it. (anyone recall the episode "The Work Outing" of the IT Crowd? "I'm disabled!")

But that's not the end.
In the early afternoon we got into the room and I had a shower. The bathroom steamed up terribly and I noticed a cord hanging down in the shower, thinking it might operate an exhaust fan. But I wasn't game to pull it. You guessed it. When it was her turn Mrs Warks thought the same. I was in the bedroom when I heard a faint alarm and then the phone rang with reception asking "is everything okay?" After that Mrs Warks tried to sneak past reception each time to avoid embarrassment.
The odd thing about these alarm cords is that if you had a fall the cord was most likely too high to be reached anyway.

 

[Flashback]

Travelling through AMM again, having previously had bad experiences and forgotten so.

 

[Aeryn]

Taking a taxi at SYD = huge costly mistake.

I arrived at SYD yesterday evening with two elderly relatives to be greeted by some very icy temperatures. Because we had 3 suitcases I booked a Uber XL but wait time was flagged as 7 mins and a cost of $50.

Noting that an Uber X is usually about $30 for the 15min ride including tolls and IME selecting an XL adds about $20 to the standard fare.

My relative then noted the taxi stand was completely empty and suggested maybe we could just grab one now given it was quite cold. So i cancelled the Uber without penalty and we walked over to the taxi rank and got into what looked like a station wagon.

Note this taxi could only take 3 passengers one in front next to driver and two in the back seat and had a big boot which easily took our 3 medium sized cases; and headed off.

10km and 12 mins later we are out front of my home and the driver says, just a minute I need to add tolls to the meter. I see him use his phone and then ask me to pay $95!!!!

The meter was saying $60, but did not look like usual meter and TBH I didnt see what the flag fall was when we entered. But there is no way the fare could be $60 for 12 minutes and it was 5pm so no late night rate in play and the toll is only $11.11 per vehicle.

He then told me it was more expensive as he was a Maxi Taxi, ahhh no you only have 3 seats; maxi taxis are mini busses that seat 8-10; and he said the toll was $35 which again is total bs.

I paid as one relative needed to go to the toilet urgently, but I am requesting a CC charge back for fraudulent amount; and reporting this scammer, I snapped a pic of the plate as I crossed the road.

This experience just confirms previous bad taxi experiences; that taxi drivers are dodgy and out to rip you off. Never again.

 

[JessicaTam]

Taking a taxi at SYD = huge costly mistake.

I arrived at SYD yesterday evening with two elderly relatives to be greeted by some very icy temperatures. Because we had 3 suitcases I booked a Uber XL but wait time was flagged as 7 mins and a cost of $50.

Noting that an Uber X is usually about $30 for the 15min ride including tolls and IME selecting an XL adds about $20 to the standard fare.

My relative then noted the taxi stand was completely empty and suggested maybe we could just grab one now given it was quite cold. So i cancelled the Uber without penalty and we walked over to the taxi rank and got into what looked like a station wagon.

Note this taxi could only take 3 passengers one in front next to driver and two in the back seat and had a big boot which easily took our 3 medium sized cases; and headed off.

10km and 12 mins later we are out front of my home and the driver says, just a minute I need to add tolls to the meter. I see him use his phone and then ask me to pay $95!!!!

The meter was saying $60, but did not look like usual meter and TBH I didnt see what the flag fall was when we entered. But there is no way the fare could be $60 for 12 minutes and it was 5pm so no late night rate n play and the toll is only $11.11 per vehicle.

He then told me it was more expensive as he was a MaxiTaxi, ahhh no you only have 3 seats; maxi taxis are mini busses that seat 8-10; and he said the toll was $35 which again is total bs.

I paid as I one relative needed to go to the toilet urgently, but I am requesting a CC charge back for fraudulent amount; and reporting this scammer snapped a pic of the plate as I crossed the road.

This experience just confirms previous bad taxi experiences; that taxi drivers are dodgy and out to rip you off. Never again.

A couple of months ago I flagged down a cab in SYD CBD to go to the airport. 4 of us climber in and after a while I realised I couldn’t see a meter. I asked the driver and he pointed to a tablet on his side of the steering wheel. It was angled to I couldn’t see it.

When we got to SYD he said $85 or something like that. All four of us were pretty vocal that it was BS. I ended up paying him $50 and got out. I was ready to grab a taxi inspector on the forecourt but there was none to be seen.

The “taxi” sign on the roof looked like it might have been magnetic and there was no rates sticker inside. I will be more vigilant next time in making sure the meter is visible and zeroed when I get in.

 

[Warks]

A couple of months ago I flagged down a cab in SYD CBD to go to the airport. 4 of us climber in and after a while I realised I couldn’t see a meter. I asked the driver and he pointed to a tablet on his side of the steering wheel. It was angled to I couldn’t see it.

When we got to SYD he said $85 or something like that. All four of us were pretty vocal that it was BS. I ended up paying him $50 and got out. I was ready to grab a taxi inspector on the forecourt but there was none to be seen.

The “taxi” sign on the roof looked like it might have been magnetic and there was no rates sticker inside. I will be more vigilant next time in making sure the meter is visible and zeroed when I get in.

I am glad I always take the train to the airport. People complain about the cost and I guess that's valid for trips to the CBD for several people. However, the last time I took a taxi home (I live about 50 minutes away) it was about $130 and that was well over a decade ago. $50 for two of us on the train seems a much better deal, despite being inflated as hell too.

 

[Brissy1]

Taking a taxi at SYD = huge costly mistake.

I arrived at SYD yesterday evening with two elderly relatives to be greeted by some very icy temperatures. Because we had 3 suitcases I booked a Uber XL but wait time was flagged as 7 mins and a cost of $50.

Noting that an Uber X is usually about $30 for the 15min ride including tolls and IME selecting an XL adds about $20 to the standard fare.

My relative then noted the taxi stand was completely empty and suggested maybe we could just grab one now given it was quite cold. So i cancelled the Uber without penalty and we walked over to the taxi rank and got into what looked like a station wagon.

Note this taxi could only take 3 passengers one in front next to driver and two in the back seat and had a big boot which easily took our 3 medium sized cases; and headed off.

10km and 12 mins later we are out front of my home and the driver says, just a minute I need to add tolls to the meter. I see him use his phone and then ask me to pay $95!!!!

The meter was saying $60, but did not look like usual meter and TBH I didnt see what the flag fall was when we entered. But there is no way the fare could be $60 for 12 minutes and it was 5pm so no late night rate in play and the toll is only $11.11 per vehicle.

He then told me it was more expensive as he was a Maxi Taxi, ahhh no you only have 3 seats; maxi taxis are mini busses that seat 8-10; and he said the toll was $35 which again is total bs.

I paid as one relative needed to go to the toilet urgently, but I am requesting a CC charge back for fraudulent amount; and reporting this scammer, I snapped a pic of the plate as I crossed the road.

This experience just confirms previous bad taxi experiences; that taxi drivers are dodgy and out to rip you off. Never again.

In last week's SMH. I sent it to my nephew who was charged about $100 syd airport to the cbd, so sharing here too

 

[cambriamarsh]

In last week's SMH. I sent it to my nephew who was charged about $100 syd airport to the cbd, so sharing here tooView attachment 449977

AKL now has fixed rates to a few destinations eg CBD by taxi company

 

[OZDUCK]

Not the most significant mistake ever, but after about 25 attempts on this trip I have finally managed to lose my cap. I have consistently dropped it or left it behind all the time but usually it's loss was noticed - more often by my wife than me.

Yesterday we were sitting on the platform waiting for the train. When it arrived, as is the norm, it stopped about 50 metres further down the platform than we expected so we rushed to get on board. I obviously had dropped the hat behind the seat.

It was not a favourite cap or anything so it is just an annoyance.

 

[zig]

Not the most significant mistake ever, but after about 25 attempts on this trip I have finally managed to lose my cap. I have consistently dropped it or left it behind all the time but usually it's loss was noticed - more often by my wife than me.

Yesterday we were sitting on the platform waiting for the train. When it arrived, as is the norm, it stopped about 50 metres further down the platform than we expected so we rushed to get on board. I obviously had dropped the hat behind the seat.

It was not a favourite cap or anything so it is just an annoyance.

I have lost track of the number of hats/caps I have lost over years of travel.
And umbrellas...
and sunglasses...
I long ago learned to just buy inexpensive hats, brollies and sunglasses.

 

[OZDUCK]

I was dithering about when to buy a new cap but after only half an hour trying to walk in the shade I was starting to already feel the effects of the sun. We were visiting the historical Convent des Jacobins and I couldn't bear the thought of going outside without a cap. So I am now the proud owner of a black cap with the Occitan Cross (Cross of Languedoc) boldly embroidered in red on the front.

 

[Seat0B]

I was dithering about when to buy a new cap but after only half an hour trying to walk in the shade I was starting to already feel the effects of the sun. We were visiting the historical Convent des Jacobins and I couldn't bear the thought of going outside without a cap. So I am now the proud owner of a black cap with the Occitan Cross (Cross of Languedoc) boldly embroidered in red on the front.

And this cap and its story will pass into your family travel folklore...

 

[drron]

My day for mistakes. booking flights to get to and from our April 2026 cruise Papeete to Papeete. The Air Tahiti Nui have only just been released for Early May. Quite some time ago we flew them to PPT on our way to Easter Island. I was able to get AA awards back then. but they now be a flight marketed by AA and of course they don't sell the AKL-PPT sector.
So checked QF and the only 2 awards On QFF until mid May are 2 economy seats on the just released TN flight PPT-AKL on 8th May.
Being a smart chappie I decided We would get QFF awards BNE-AKL-BNE and pay for the AKL-PPT sectors. Air NZ were slightly cheaper than TN.
I went and booked the QFF awards and felt very good as Classic + awards wee 6300 points cheaper than a classic award. So booked them.

Went back to NZ and noted I hadn't checked timings. Arrives into PPT at 0200 and leaves at 0400.
So go to book TN and of course their flights don't match up with our QFF flights so went and changed them at a cost of 10000 points. But if you are like Brian thar means all up the awards cost you 2600 points less than classic awards.

Then not a direct travel mistake but I went to Woollies as Mrsdrron had a spend $60 a week for 3 weeks and get 4000 points. But i twigged that I had used my card instead of her card. I might have got into a serious problem but I just swiped her card out of frustration and that is enough to change the account for that purchase.

Now waiting for my third mistake of the day.

 

[GDSman]

Not exactly major but on my several 1 week trips to the UK I fly HLO and sailing close to the 7kg limit I popped a small umbrella into the backpack’s water bottle section. Got to SIN and noticed my wife had kindly done the same thing…double protection!