I’m a travel expert and you should NEVER book a late flight

A TRAVEL show host has revealed why you should NEVER book the last flight of the day if you want to avoid delays or cancellations.

This summer has been a tricky one for the travel industry, with strikes, staff shortages and baggage issues causing so many problems for holidaymakers.

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Thousands of flights have been cancelled and more delayed due to the problems, but there are ways of increasing your chances of flying on time.

Samantha Brown hosts travel shows on PBS in America and has explained why it’s better to fly first thing in the morning, if you want to avoid disappointment.

She explained that more passengers in the airport add to the problems we’ve seen this summer.

Therefore, it’s better to set off earlier in the day when fewer people are trying to fly.

She told Market Watch: “Book the earliest flight you can, and that’s a 6am or 7am flight.

“It is hard getting up at 3am or 4am, but it is absolutely worth it. That’s the plane that always leaves.

“All these problems happen later in the day. With more traffic, there are more delays.”

Sam also advises paying extra to fly direct if possible. While it may be cheaper to fly with connections, the more flights a person has to take the higher the chance of a delay or cancellation.

She even suggests driving to an airport that’s a bit further away if it means you can fly direct.

She also recommends booking directly with the airline, rather than via a third-party website.

She said this puts you higher in their list of priorities because you will be dealing directly with them if anything goes wrong.

Sam is not the only person to recommend going directly to the airline either.

A flight attendant has revealed why you should think twice about using budget websites to book flights, suggesting they could lead to you being bumped off the plane.

According to cabin crew member Kristie Koerbel, if a flight is oversold, it is often the tickets from the third party sites that are the first to be bumped from the plane.

She also said booking via the cheaper sites reduces your chances of sitting next to friends or family.

In an article for New York Times the travel expert warned passengers to “think twice” about where they buy their plane tickets.

This travel expert revealed why you should never take a wheeled suitcase on a plane.

Another revealed how to dodge airport queues with some simple techniques.

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