The travel expert has urged holidaymakers to avoid falling for the viral tip
Travel expert Simon Calder has branded a viral holiday-booking tip as an “urban myth”. Holidaymakers want to do all they can to save money on their trips, but it can be hard to know the best way to book.
Finding the best price can be tough, as you can book early to snap up a bargain or leave it until the last minute to secure cheap airline seats that haven’t sold out. When looking for flights, prices can also change by the day.
Airlines can use dynamic pricing to raise or lower ticket prices based on demand. Some people have claimed that booking websites can collect information from your browsing history and increase prices because they know you are interested.
It has been suggested to use private or incognito mode and to clear cookies before searching to get the best price. However, expert Simon has given his own verdict on the travel hack, branding it “nonsense”.
On his Travel Expert with Simon Calder podcast, he was asked if using incognito mode works and if it makes bookings cheaper. Simon replied: “Thank goodness for this [question], we have got the chance to get rid of this nonsense absolutely.
“It is an urban myth, and I will of course be delighted to learn if somebody has absolutely got video footage of somebody with a computer with cookies on and cookies without.
“The thought is that ‘oh, we know that Greg is looking for flights, so therefore next time he goes on, we will put the price up to grab all his money’. It doesn’t work like that.”
Simon explained that prices do sometimes change when looking for them because other people have booked onto the same flight.
He said: “We are lucky enough to be living in a very competitive era where airlines are charging whatever they can get away with. If the price has increased since the last time you looked, it’s only because someone like me has come along and booked seats.”
If you already have a holiday booked this summer, Simon previously shared a stark warning to ensure it doesn’t end up “wrecked”. The expert explained that “thousands upon thousands” of travellers have already been caught out and missed their long-awaited breaks.
Brits travelling to EU or Schengen area destinations cannot hold passports that are older than 10 years upon arrival at their holiday destination. The passport must also remain valid for a minimum of three months beyond the date you intend to return home.
Simon appeared on BBC Radio 2 to encourage everyone with holidays booked to check their passports before it’s too late.
He said: “You must remember, if you are going to the EU apart from Ireland, you cannot have a passport older than 10 years on the day you enter. It is the only part of the world that cares about when your passport is issued.
“Everywhere else only cares about the expiry date. Please, if you are going away in June, July, and August, please check that your passport will comply.
“Has it had its 10th birthday on the day you plan to go away, and has it got at least three months left on the date you plan to leave? That way, we can hopefully avoid too many more wrecked holidays.”
