10 top things you didn't know last month

1. 1. Travel apps guilty of data breach

   Skyscanner, TripAdvisor and Kayak have been sending personal data to Facebook without users consent says Privacy International. Their research examined apps with built in Facebook trackers and found that Kayak shared detailed information on flight searches, travel dates, destinations and whether users had children. Under data privacy rules (GDPR) companies can be fined up to 4% of their annual turnover. Watch this space.

2. 2. The rip-off merchants of Venice!

   It already has a reputation for being heavy on the wallet. And now Venice has a new surprise for tourists - a tax as high as £9 to even set foot in the hallowed city. This latest money-making ploy will be imposed on all visitors, including day trippers, and is intended to slow the torrent of tourists who flock to Venice each year and help pay for keeping the region clean.
   
   Up to now, people visiting the city for a day escape the existing tax imposed on those who spend a night in a hotel or rented apartment. The new tax will vary between £2.25 and £9 a day, depending on the season. The new charging system could generate up to £44 million a year.

3. 3. Do buy from me Argentina

   It's never been cheaper to visit Argentina, with the nation's economic struggles triggering a dramatic plunge in the value of the peso. The pound has almost doubled in value against the currency since the start of the year, with British holidaymakers exchanging £1,000 now benefitting from the equivalent of £457 more spending money. Although many larger hotels in destinations like Buenos Aires price their rooms in dollars, goods and services that use the peso, such as restaurants and local attractions, offer excellent savings.

4. 4. Passengers have to pay... for taking off

   You know all about baggage charges and people having to pay to be sat together, but forking out extra for take-off is something that doesn't occur very often. However, that's exactly what happened to 249 passengers flying with Polish Airline Lot when their plane suffered a technical hitch.
   
   There was an issue with the hydraulics and a new pump was required but staff at Beijing airport would not accept a bank transfer, insisting on cash only. Passengers who donated money were reimbursed when they finally arrived in Warsaw and given vouchers as well as being eligible for compensation for the delay.

5. 5. Barmy requests from Brits abroad

   Our embassies abroad have been reporting the strange requests made by British tourists on holiday. One chap rang to ask for confirmation that Poland was not home to vampires after a woman he met online asked what blood group he was before their first date. And a tourist in Argentina asked the embassy if it could provide a list of local girls he might possibly marry.

6. 6. Thai rescue cave becomes a big draw

   A Thai cave that was the scene of a daring rescue last year has become the country's most unlikely tourist attraction. The eyes of the world were fixed on Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Chiang Rai as an international team of experts saved a young football team trapped by rising waters. Head there now and you will find queues of visitors taking selfies and dozens of souvenir stalls and a tented resort to accommodate tourists being built nearby.

7. 7. Bid to stop the no-show cancellations

   Consumer group Which? has discovered that airlines are routinely cancelling passengers' return flights if they miss the first leg of the journey. This 'rip-off' practice can leave travellers thousands of pounds out of pocket with so-called 'no-show' clauses often buried in the terms and conditions when a ticket is bought. They involve cancelling connecting or return flights if someone does not board the plane for their first flight, even if they have made an outward journey on a different flight.
   
   Which? has now joined forces with counterparts in other European countries to try to stamp out the practice and written to nine of the major carriers - including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic - informing them that their policies are potentially in breach of the Consumer Rights Act.

8. 8. Don't be caught out by flight roaming charges

   Air passengers have been warned that they face bills of hundreds of pounds if they fail to switch to their phone's flight mode before take-off. One traveller recently racked up nearly £235 of charges on a flight from Ireland to the US with Aer Lingus after he left his mobile on in an overhead compartment. With signal and roaming turned on, the phone connected to the aircraft's in-flight network provided by aviation telecommunications specialist Aeromobile. A spokesman for the airline said that in these circumstances passengers will be billed by their home operator for any usage.

9. 9. Which airline is the worst?

   Ryanair has been named the worst shorthaul airline from the UK for the sixth year running. Passengers gave it the lowest possible rating for boarding, seat comfort, refreshments and cabin environment according to consumer magazine Which? Other airlines low down in the rankings included Thomas Cook and British Airways.

10. 10. Tips for the flight attendants

    Passengers travelling on US-based Frontier Airlines may be in for a shock the next time they order a drink. The budget carrier now suggests that passengers should tip flight attendants after they have been served by them. The default tips are set on an electronic tablet at 15 per cent, 20 per cent or 25 per cent, and a custom percentage is also possible. Travellers are also given the option to not tip. A Frontier spokesman said: "Currently tips are shared among all members of the flight attendant crew on a given flight.

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My Favourite Holiday

Piers Morgan loves the private island resort off
the coast of Antigua

TV presenter Piers Morgan just loves relaxing breaks and beautiful beaches

What makes your perfect holiday? Lovely beaches and good food and wine. Because I work relentlessly, I need chill-out time. I've been going to the Caribbean for more than 30 years and I love the laid-back vibes there.

Where do you visit most. I have houses in the UK and Los Angeles and travel to Middle America regularly, around Texas and Alabama, to do my crime documentaries - or to the Far East, places like Shanghai and Dubai, for my travel documentaries.

Your best hotel experience? While I was on the road it was when I got upgraded to Warren Beatty's old suite while living at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles for six years during the filming of America's Got Talent.

What do you try to avoid on holiday? Human beings as much as possible, especially Hugh Grant, Steve Coogan, Heather Mills and Cherie Blair. If any of them are staying in the same hotel, I will check out.

What's your favourite place in Europe? I love St Tropez, where I go at least twice a year. But I always come back full of self-loathing and a stone heavier from drinking lots of Minuty rose and eating lots of bread and cheese. I like going there out of season when it has more of a fishing port vibe.

What's your favourite restaurant? If I had to die mid-meal from a sudden heart attack it would be at Le Club 55 in St Tropez after eating too much cheese. Before then, I'd start off at Les Graniers, which is one of Joan Collin's favourite places in St Tropez. The fresh fish there is sublime.

Your favourite Caribbean Island? I hate pretentiousness, and there's none in Jumby Bay, a private island resort off the coast of Antigua. It's five star beach luxury, but incredibly casual. There are no cars on the island, everyone gets a bicycle, and there are hotel villas and private homes dotted around the estate.

Your most magical holiday experience? It was at Baros Resort in the Maldives, the night Barack Obama became president. My wife and I were having dinner on a sand dune that appeared every couple of weeks and was accessible only by speedboat. It was surreal, having dinner cooked in the middle of the ocean, water lapping at our heels, knowing that history was being made in America.

Where would you like to go next? I'd love to go to India for the cricket. I took my three sons to watch the Ashes series in Australia four years ago and had an amazing time.

For the full interview see Telegraph online

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