It’s summer time again. Most people are planning their vacation. And I was thinking of returning to the UK to see my family and friends, too.
But. It’s also strike season. The unions in the airlines and at airports know that this is one of the busiest seasons, and so they take delight in striking to cause maximum inconvenience to travelers to press for their own demands.
In fact, a few years ago, my wife and I on a trip to the UK got caught up in a wildcat strike at Heathrow which started just 30 minutes before we entered the airport. It was absolute chaos. Our flight was canceled, and we couldn’t transfer our ticket to another airline at the last minute.
We ended up having to return to our friends’ home, in Brighton. They very graciously put us up until we could make alternative arrangements. Of course, we didn’t buy any travel insurance, and I haven’t bought any in years. I’m not sure that this is a good idea, though.
Would I buy travel insurance to cover such an event in the future? Perhaps not. I’d rather travel in a less busy part of the year, such as May or September. Prices are cheaper, travelers are fewer, and the whole thing is a ‘little’ more pleasant.