Key Findings

• British Holidaymakers can save up to €30 on every £600 worth of holiday money purchased online
• Findings show that Airport Bureaus and High Street Banks apply margins of nearly 7% on the ‘true mid-market exchange rate’
• 0% commission should largely be ignored when trying to distinguish between a good or bad travel money deal
• exchange rates are the key indicator to obtaining the fairest deals on travel money
• MyTravelMoney.co.uk desk research finds that buying online for collection at airport is substantially cheaper than purchasing at airport
• Home delivery of currency is the cheapest and fairest overall deal for holidaymakers

Data collated is true to live recordings of rates between 11.45am-12pm, 24th July

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The UK might be rabies free but the majority of foreign destinations are not. Dog bites, in particular, carry a risk of rabies, which can be extremely serious – especially if left untreated.

What should I do if I’m bitten by an animal abroad?
No matter how small an animal bite, you MUST get it checked out while on international soil.

It might sound strange but a lick from an animal can also be dangerous. If a dog licks an existing cut or wound, you should get it checked out as there’s still a risk or rabies from the animal’s saliva.

The good news is that rabies can be stopped in its tracks if treatment is given straight away so the key here is to go straight to the closest hospital – no matter how tiny a lick or bite you’ve received.

How do I clean the wound?
It’s really important to keep the wound clean to avoid infection – particularly when you’re abroad because animals’ mouths are riddled with bacteria.

Use bottled drinking water to clean the cut – no matter how small – and use a clean pad or sterile dressing, if you can get one, and apply pressure until you get medical treatment.

Try to avoid using antiseptic creams, which can damage the skin tissue and set healing back.

What kind of treatment can I expect?
Emergency treatment involves cleaning the wound properly, giving a shot of rabies immunoglobulin (a special preparation of rabies antibodies to protect against the virus) and a course of the rabies vaccine.

A short course of antibiotics might also be prescribed to stop any other infection developing in bites which are particularly large, deep or punctured. Bite wounds on arms or legs can be particularly nasty so usually need antibiotics even if the wound is small.

Likewise, if your resistance is low for any reason – i.e. because of chemotherapy, diabetes or AIDS – then you will almost certainly need some additional antibiotics.

You might also need a tetanus injection if it’s been a while since you had one. Tetanus boosters are a regular course of treatment after a dog bite even in the UK.

If the skin surrounding the wound is particularly damaged, then it might need to be trimmed or removed – in which case you can expect a local anaesthetic or sedative and painkillers.

Dead skin is an ideal breeding ground for infection so the doctor or A&E department will want to err on the side of caution.

But don’t be surprised if the doctor doesn’t stitch or close up the wound immediately. It’s normal to wait a few days before doing this in case there’s any infection, which could cause serious complications under the skin. It’s common practice to apply a sterile dressing in the meantime.

Very serious bites may need an operation to clean the wound properly and repair any underlying damage, such as severed tendons.

What should I look out for?
It’s common for bites to become infected so make sure you look out for and tenderness, pain, swelling, or inflammation over the next few days and get further medical treatment if necessary.

You should visit the nearest A&E department as soon as possible if you experience any fever, shivering or other unusual symptoms as bites can cause serious infections in the body if bacteria gets into the bloodstream.

The post When things go wrong abroad: Dog bites appeared first on MyTravelMoney.co.uk.

This week we’re looking at what happens when your tour operator, or the airline you’re flying with, goes out of business while you’re abroad and the importance of making sure they’re ATOL (Air Travel Organisers Licence) protected before you book to prevent being stranded.

Package holiday or independent travel?
First of all, your rights when things go wrong are largely determined by the type of travel you are undertaking. Are you on a package holiday, for example, or did you book everything independently? The good news is that all package holidays MUST be ATOL protected – i.e. they must hold a special licence from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) – to prevent you from losing your hard-earned cash and to take care of the practicalities if an operator goes into administration. Ultimately, it means that if the airline goes bust, the tour operator must organise to get you home safely at no extra cost and if the tour operator goes bust, then the CAA must arrange your free return flights. In order for the CAA to do this, however, you must first make a claim.

Unfortunately, things aren’t quite as simple for independent travellers. If you booked your flights directly with the airline, then your tickets will not be ATOL protected should the carrier go bust while you’re abroad. If you have booked them through an agent which offers ATOL protection, however, then it’s their responsibility to get you home without any added expense. You may also be covered if you have bought the tickets using your credit or Visa debit card and the value is above £100 – it’s best to check what kind of cover is provided, though. Sadly, if you’re delayed by a few days or struggle to arrange a suitable return flight, the onus will still be on you to book and pay for a hotel or rearrange your travel plans. Some airlines offer some goodwill remuneration for stranded passengers which might include meal tickets etc but it’s not always guaranteed.

How do I make sure I’m not left stranded?
The key is to ask lots of questions before you book to make sure you know exactly where you stand should things go wrong. Not only that, but you should be checking that whichever tour operator or airline you book with is ATOL protected by the CAA if you’re embarking on a package holiday. If you’re not certain, ask your travel agent, check on the company’s website, or do a quick search here. You can also check which operators have recently ceased trading here.

The best way to protect yourself as an independent traveller is to take out extra travel insurance which covers these eventualities, pay by credit card wherever you can, or book with an agent which offers ATOL protection.

For more on air passengers’ rights, visit the CAA website.

The post When Things Go Wrong Abroad: Help! My Airline’s Gone Bust appeared first on MyTravelMoney.co.uk.