Save More Money In Airports!

Summer means airports for many of us. So here are some great tips on how to save money at airports.

This article has already been emailed to Fools as part of our Summer Lolly campaign.

The last few times that we have written about travel we've had over 100 comments from Fools that are packed full of airside tactics that do work, so here are the best of your messages about evading daft airport rules and over-priced goods and services:

Food and drink

flyer52

Water: buy a sports bottle, take it empty through security, and fill it up for free at any airside outlet or on the plane.

ladyrosemary

I find the best thing to do on the aircraft is read your own book and eat your own food. If you're thirsty, suck a peppermint or cough loudly and ask for water. Do not purchase anything in any airport anywhere.

And certainly keep very quite at JFK, but do buy food there as it is reasonable, but you will find if you come from Yorkshire she will have a problem with your accent, and you will most definitely have a problem with the New York accent. However you only gotta ask her to say it again! Anyhow, I have decided to reduce my carbon footprint and go to Cleethorpes instead.

rowan103

I asked the supervisor at the airside desk (so as not to hold up the line) where the drinking fountain was. `It has been removed by BAA' came the reply.

So I asked a waiter to fill the bottle when I ate in the Italian and left him £1 for his trouble.

Airport parking

meongroup

Airport parking has become the most expensive way of solving the transport problem. I live in mid-Hampshire. A two week vacation will cost well over £100 parking at its cheapest, yet I can still get a private hire trip in both directions door-to-door for around £100. Apart from the convenience, this is cheaper than driving the 70 miles or so, and I don't have to park or find the car on my return.

mayflyjules

www.airport-parking-shop.co.uk is a good airport-parking comparison service. I've used it several times. It's very easy to use and book, and it's a great way to save money.

Clear plastic bags

samsonofarthur

The 100ml restriction only applies to containers with liquid actually in them. Empty ones are ok. The liquids you DO have must fit into a bag of ONE-litre capacity, not two. This bag must be not larger than 20cm x 20cm and be sealable, so beware when using your own freezer bags. I know; I am an airport security guard!

TedCrilley

Most UK airports charge for clear plastic bags now. I fly between Amsterdam and Newcastle regularly and often put bags, which are free in Holland, in my pocket and leave them on top of the machine that dispenses bags in Newcastle. I hope I don't affect profits too much!

Foreign exchange

 paulham2569

If you pre-order foreign currency from Travelex their rates are around the very best and you can collect at the airport.

 Don't forget to compare prices first though, such as at exchange bureaux in cities and towns, which I've found to be cheaper than buying online sometimes. Consider also plastic that doesn't charge fees and has a good exchange rate, such as Nationwide's Flexaccount debit card - Neil.

Insurance when travelling by coach

miekje

If you take a coach or anything other than your own car to the airport, be sure to check your travel-insurance small print. Most will only pay out for delays caused by breakdown of your own vehicle! I was caught out by this once when my National Express coach was delayed.

Creative parking

kingell

I did a good deal with Travelodge a couple of years ago. I stayed overnight then left the car for a week. It was only £40.

Recovering confiscated items

 samsonofarthur

On `sharps' (those were the days, when that was all we had to worry about), safety razors (i.e. those without detachable blades) are ok, but `old fashioned' razors (which were originally called safety razors to distinguish them from `cut throat') or their blades aren't.

Scissors with blades (from the hinge) of less than 3cm, or with rounded ends, are ok, as now are knitting needles. For anything else we ask: `Could it be used as a weapon?' This includes things like fishing line (strangle), masking tape (bind) and laser pens (blind).

You'd be surprised what people deny having in their bags, right up to us pulling them out to show them. In fact we're a bit of a social service, finding things people lost long ago: the trouble is we then take it off them!

If you get caught in this position there are two alternatives: go and check in the bag/item (though this may cost you far more than its value) or post it home. (We keep it while you buy a jiffy bag and stamps, then we post it for you - though this will depend on what is available at your particular airport.)

What's it all about, anyway?

flossman

Just want to make the point that, speaking as an industrial chemist, it is impossible to mix two liquids together to elicit an explosion that will blow a hole in an aircraft fuselage. Who was the Einstein who designed these new 'liquid' rules?

balyarta

There is one thing few talk about - fear of flying. But find and read `The Flying Book' by David Blatner. It changed me from feeling everything from nervousness to occasional terror to almost complete equanimity. A few more flights and I'll be the pilot. Relevance? Well, maybe if you're feeling calm you will spot the rip-offs sooner. Happy landings, because they all are.

I've tidied up these messages to make them clearer and to prevent the nose-bleeds my editor gets when he sees too many apostrophes and not enough conjunctions. I  haven't changed the intended meaning though - Neil.

Check out more money-saving tips from Fool.co.uk | Don't Forget Travel Insurance!