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* Have you ever sat in a terminal — or worse, on a plane — and been assured by a bored voice on the public address system that your flight will leave “any minute”? Then, half an hour later, there’s another announcement promising “just ten more minutes”. Followed by an update half an hour later that you’ll depart in a few moments? It’s called a creeping delay. You can avoid a creeping delay by refusing to play along. If you’re waiting for a flight to board, the rules are that at some point during a mechanical delay, the airline owes you a meal and hotel.

* Imagine the worst possible room at a hotel. Anyone stuck in such undesirable accommodations has two options: either accept the room or check out — and lose the money you prepaid for the room. Also, never forget to ask for a total price for your accommodation.

* Surprise surcharges are as common in the car rental business as they are at hotels. Make things clear.

* Nothing ruins a restaurant meal like an unpleasant server or an indecipherable menu card. What do you do about the server? Walk out or take up the matter with the manager.

* When you put a lot of people into the same place, like a cruise ship, there’s the fear of a gastrointestinal virus outbreak. To get an idea of how infection-prone your cruise ship is, check out the cruise line’s inspection reports. Wash your hands frequently while onboard.

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