Officials from tourism and travel agencies have emphasized the importance of adopting flexible options when booking holidays, which allows them to modify dates or recover the booking value in any emergency or change in travel plans. They told «Emirates Today» that this type of booking gives travelers greater peace of mind and reduces financial risks, stressing the importance of carefully reviewing the booking terms before completing the payment, especially regarding cancellation and refund policies. They noted that some travelers still prefer non-flexible options due to their lower prices, but they may face partial or complete loss of the booking value if their flights are affected by cancellation or postponement. They stated that financial losses in restricted bookings extend to hotel rooms, tour programs, and other activities.
They also advised travelers to avoid tight schedules between flights when booking a transit trip, as any slight delay could affect the entire itinerary.
Flexible Options
In detail, the CEO of «Al Rais Travel Group», Mohammed Jasim Al Rais, stressed the importance of adopting flexible options during holiday bookings to avoid potential losses, pointing to operational conditions that may affect air traffic in the region, as well as a limited flight schedule that must be taken into account when planning travel. He added to «Emirates Today»: «Travelers who choose flexible travel packages or tickets benefit from the advantage of a full refund of the booking value, or modifying flight dates without significant costs, in case of any changes beyond their control», confirming that «this type of booking gives travelers greater peace of mind and reduces financial risks».
Al Rais noted that «some travelers still prefer non-flexible options due to their lower prices, however, they may face partial or complete loss of the booking value if their flights are canceled or postponed», and said: «Travel companies and tourism agencies currently advise reviewing the booking terms carefully before completing the payment, especially regarding cancellation and refund policies».
Restricted Bookings
On the other hand, the CEO of «STS» in the «Dubai Link» group, Salah Mansour, said: «Amid fluctuations that may affect air traffic, it has become essential for travelers to place flexibility at the forefront of their priorities when booking, as flexible options allow for recovering funds or modifying flights without significant losses, unlike restricted bookings that may entail high financial costs in case of cancellation or change». He explained: «The price difference is often slight, but it provides a great deal of security and peace of mind for the traveler», noting that non-flexible bookings may seem tempting in terms of price, but they carry risks, especially in case of any emergency, as canceling and modifying them involves significant financial loss».
Mansour agreed that flexible options give travelers greater freedom, whether by modifying travel dates or recovering the booking value, which provides effective protection for spending, especially for families or high-cost trips, pointing out that a traveler could lose large sums in restricted bookings, which extend to hotel rooms, tour programs, and other activities. Mansour stressed the importance of avoiding tight schedules between flights when booking a transit trip, as any slight delay could affect the entire itinerary, noting that choosing direct flights or airlines that offer quick alternative options can greatly alleviate the challenges that may arise.
Differences in Bookings
In the same context, the CEO of «Sharif House» for Tourism and Travel, Sharif Al Ferm, said: «Flexible booking is an ideal option for families, or for those with work commitments, or even during peak periods and seasons, where the likelihood of change or cancellation increases», and explained that the differences between flexible and restricted bookings are not limited to cancellation only, but also include the possibility of easily modifying dates, while in «restricted» changes may be impossible or costly, whereas flexible bookings allow for full or partial refunds, whereas restricted bookings are often non-refundable in many cases».
He added: «We notice that a growing segment of travelers prefers to pay a small additional fee for peace of mind, instead of risking the loss of the booking», stressing the importance of reviewing booking details before finalizing it, because some promotional offers may be tempting in price but are highly restricted».
