What Singaporeans Hate about the Peak Travel Season

December is the month that most Singaporeans choose to travel on. In fact, nearly 1/5 of the population travels during December. However, it also happens to be a very popular travel month all over the world, too. The December holidays are the busiest time of year. With this, there are a lot of issues that also happen during this time of year. In this article, we are listing down the seven things all Singaporeans hate when travelling during the holiday season.
 

1. Delayed Flights

For most tourists, the December holidays are synonymous with delayed flights. The primary reason why there are a lot of postponed flights during this time of year is often due to air traffic or weather issues. Delayed flights can push back a lot of things such as hotel reservations and transportation arrangements which could potentially cost you a lot of money. Not to mention having to spend for additional food.

What you can do to avoid it:

Choose an airline that has a decent track record of having little or no delays. Unfortunately, this means avoiding budget carriers. It’s no sure thing but it is worth the extra money. You should also opt for a great travel insurance policy that would protect you and your family if your flight were to be postponed.
 

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2. Missed Scheduled (Connecting) Flight

Missed flight connections are also very common throughout the Christmas season. Traffic jams, long queues, or delayed connecting flights can stop you from reaching the airport in time. This may cause you to get stranded on the airport for several hours or force you to purchase a ticket to the next flight to your destination.

What you can do avoid it:

Get to the airport on time. If you can afford it, opt for a direct flight to your destination.
 

3. Lost or Mishandled Baggage

With valuable essentials such as clothes and toiletries, losing your baggage is always a huge inconvenience. The hassle of having to follow up on the status of your baggage or your payout is something all Singaporeans would rather not do on vacation. Not to mention the sentimental cost of losing your personal items.

What you can do to avoid it:

To minimise inconvenience, make an itemised list of the stuff in your luggage and put all essential items in your carry-on baggage. All expensive electronics and a set of clothes is recommended. Try to read up on airline policy when it comes to lost baggage to familiarise yourself with the different steps you need to follow.
 

4. Hotel Complications

As previously mentioned, December is a very busy time of year and this is especially true for hotels. Its peak season for most hotels and apart from the high rates, there tends to be a lot of issues that happen during this time. From problems with reservation to overbooked hotel rooms, there is always something that goes wrong.

What you can do to avoid it:

Make sure you confirm your hotel reservations before heading to your destination. This allows you to plan for any last minute arrangements if there are any issues with your hotel booking.
 

5. Large Crowds

Huge crowds and long queues are inevitable in popular holiday destinations. Whether it’s in a shopping mall or the plane, crowds can be a bit overwhelming and can easily ruin your holiday spirit.

What you can do to avoid it:

The best way to avoid the holiday crowd is to try and limit going to popular tourist destinations.
 

6. Limited Shops & Restaurants

Another pet peeve most Singaporeans have when travelling during the holidays is that shops and restaurants tend to have limited operating hours. This can be really frustrating especially if you’ve been planning on shopping or dining there for so long.

What you can do to avoid it:

Before leaving your hotel, do check if the place you want to go to is open. Ask the hotel concierge if they can find out for you.
 

7. Weather Issues

When travelling to popular winter destinations, there is always a possibility that you will experience bad weather. Poor weather conditions like snow blizzards can cause travellers to get stranded in airports or ruin your planned activities.

What you can do to avoid it:

Do check on weather forecasts regularly before and during your trip.
 

You May Also Be Interested In: 10 Tips for Singaporeans Planning for a Winter Holiday
 

Travelling during the holidays is definitely a challenge but if you keep these pointers in mind and protect yourself during your trip, you can be confident on your vacation.