Life happens and sometimes changes to a trip have to be made (or a trip has to be cancelled entirely). Here are some tips to consider while making those changes.
Explore all options – Things can happen, so you will need to explore every option for a trip and changes. Can you still make the trip or does it have to be canceled? Can another person go or can you make the trip on your own? Can you push the trip to another date or do you have to rethink it all?
There are a lot of questions to ponder so make sure to ponder them all before making a final decision. You may find the solution with a little bit of thinking and planning.
Book early – Booking early can have its benefits. By booking early you do leave yourself with more chances for things to happen, however, you also leave yourself with more time to adjust and react to those changes.
Booking last minute seems to be a way of life for a lot of people, but if you are like me, you like to book things well in advance. Booking early gives you time to prepare and plan for the trip (getting gear, funds, etc.) and by doing it early you leave yourself more time to make adjustments (and won’t be up against the clock).
Learn cancellation policies – Cancellation policies are something you need to know and will vary with each booking site or company you deal with.
Some companies will allow full refunds within 24-48 hours after booking, but often if you attempt to cancel after that timeline, you may be only eligible for credit instead of a full cash refund. Other sites will make it a little easier and will give you a full refund (no penalty) up to 24 hours before the trip was supposed to take place. So make sure to check the the policies before booking.
Don’t overreact – Above all, don’t overreact. It may seem like everything is thrown into chaos when major changes have to be made, especially when a trip has booked in advance, plans have been made, and now all of that work and planning is thrown into the wind.
Take a deep breath, reassess everything, and then with a clear mind and all of the facts, then decide what those next steps for re-planning are going to be. With a fresh mind you may find the change to be the best thing possible, it shouldn’t mean the end of the world. Just keep that in mind.
Travel insurance – Having travel insurance is good to have, especially if a trip is cancelled and it is beyond your control (weather, pandemics, war, etc.). Being able to recoup your money without major pain or loss is clutch, so make sure to invest in it and take a look at policies that would best suit your trip. You don’t have to get insurance, but it’s an option to at least explore.
Travels With Matt Blog 
Good tips! I think it is important to hold one’s nerve – I have had a few trips threatended by baggage handlers’ strikes, only for these to be settled at the eleventh hour, meaning that in the end my trip was not affected. More often that not it is brinksmanship, and no one really wants to strike.
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Exactly, panic and getting flustered will only lead to more issues. Sometimes taking a few minutes can lead to positive outcomes, especially when something like a baggage handler strike is happening and is out of your control.
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