Before Your Travel

Whenever you go on holiday, it's a good idea to be as prepared as you can be. These pages are designed to make sure your holiday runs as smoothly as it can, from booking to setting off. With advice on passports and visas, health, travel money, what to pack and amendments, you can spend a few minutes looking for all the nitty gritty information that you may need.

Passports and Visas

Happy holidays start with an up-to-date passport, it is your responsibility to ensure that yours is valid and accepted in the country of travel as well as having the correct visas or other documentation necessary.
It is vitally important that you check all the requirements for your destination before you finalise your travel plans. We at Sunwings would like to ensure that all customers are prepared before entering Turkey. Please read the sections on this page to find out more information on passport and visa requirements for your trip.
Please note that all British Citizens aged 16 years and over require a ten-year passport and a five-year passport is required for those under the age of 16, including infants
We do not issue tickets - so make sure that you have your printed invoice/e-tickets with you and available in your hand luggage, as you may be refused travel without it. For any questions about this take a look at our essential information about holiday documentation.

VISA –

A visa is required for British nationals to enter Turkey unless they are cruise ship passengers who enter the country for a day trip and return to the ship the same day. British citizens may obtain a multiple entry visitor's visa valid for 90 days at the port of entry on payment of ten pounds sterling in cash (Scottish currency is not accepted). All other nationalities should contact the Turkish Consulate in London as to their visa requirements/fee. For full details of any travel restrictions, entry and stay requirements, visa and travel advice to your particular destination, visit the foreign office website at www.fco.gov.uk/travel. Please note that it is your responsibility to have he correct travel documents and that Sunwngs cannot be held responsible or liable for extras costs incurred if you are refused travel due to incorrect passport/visas. (http://www.turkishconsulate.org.uk/en/visa.htm)

Passport validity

Your passport should be valid for at least six months on entry into Turkey and have at least three months' validity on the date you are exiting Turkey

What to Pack

PASSPORT

It goes without saying that you need your passport. However, what would you do if you ran into trouble and lost it? Take a photocopy of your passport and keep it safe in your luggage somewhere in case your passport is lost/stolen, then you will have all your details to hand. Alternatively email yourself essential information such as your passport number and insurance policy number just in case you need to access them quickly if you run into problems

CLOTHES

What we wear on holiday is so important - but how do you strike the balance between what you want and what you'll actually wear. How to get there without spending your first day ironing and avoiding those "If only I'd brought..." moments? These tips should help without making you feel like you're planning a military operation!
When packing for your holiday, if you are travelling with a partner or family and have more than one case, make sure that you mix the clothing in different cases, then if one of your cases is lost or delayed, everyone will at least have something to wear. Even if you are travelling on your own, try and pack at least one change of clothes in your hand luggage. Pack your important clothes in plastic so that you won't need to iron them once you get there. Recycle the packaging that you get from the dry cleaners to wrap these items of clothing. It takes a bit longer to pack but it really works and saves time waiting for hotel irons.

TOILETRIES

Save on excess baggage by using small containers of shampoo and conditioner and there will be the perfect amount for your holiday. Another great alternative to taking a lot of hair gel/ wax - just put some in an empty film canister! But remember that in many resorts you can buy everything you need locally – which is worth considering if you are concerned about the excess baggage that may be charge (usually over £5 per kilo!)

GUIDE BOOK

Invest in a good guide book to help you make the most of your time away. Whether you're planning a long-haul holiday, city break, regional tour or short-haul trip you'll find a guides can be invaluable for all kinds of practical information on transport, sightseeing, eating out, history and culture.

FIRST AID

Put together a travel first aid kit - obviously the more remote the region you are visiting, the more comprehensive this will be. Even on a short-haul holiday it is worth taking a few plasters, a spray-on antiseptic, condoms etc. As well as remedies for indigestion, headaches, sore throats and tummy bugs which, even if only minor, can impact your holiday.

Travel Money

ATMs are widely available in major cities and tourist areas. Local currency can also be obtained from banks and exchange bureaux, known as DOVIZ in Turkish. The official currency is the Turkish Lira abbreviated YTL. One pound UK sterling is worth approx 2 YTL – but you should check the exact rate before you travel. Most hotels will have their own currency exchange available for your convenience - and often will have very competitive exchange rates and low commission charges. Take our advice and shop around. Bear in mind that we do not advise that you carry large sums of cash around with you – just take what you need for each trip out and keep the rest in your safety deposit box.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is essential - you should buy this as soon as you have booked your holiday. Good travel insurance will cover you if for some reason you need to cancel as well as cover you for any sporting activities you want to take part in. Make sure you check the small print for exclusions and be scrupulous about declaring any pre-existing medical conditions. If you're planning to take a number of trips, annual travel insurance is better value than one-off cover. SunWings Travel Insurance offers competitively priced travel insurance which you can opt for at the time of making your booking. WE STRONGLY recommend that you do not travel without comprehensive medical insurance (including cover for medical repatriation), as private medical treatment is very expensive. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for the activities you want to undertake. The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which concerns free medical treatment in EU countries, is NOT VALID in Turkey.

Holiday Extras

AIRPORT PARKING

Save time and money. Pre -book your airport parking in advance of your holiday to save up to 40% off the normal prices.

Health Advice

Health facilities, hygiene and disease risks vary worldwide. You should take health advice about your specific needs as early as possible. This advice features general information, so more specific enquiries should be accessed via The Foreign and Commonwealth Travel Advice Unit for the most up-to-date information.
Turkey can be very hot, especially in summer when temperatures can reach 30-40C. To avoid heat-related illness drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration, use a high-factor sunscreen and avoid direct sunshine. Older, very young and some other travellers may be particularly vulnerable to heat-related illnesses and should take extra care. Drink bottled water only – as tap water may contain high mineral contents which can cause upset tummy for those not used to it.
It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the applicable vaccinations for your choice of destination and take the necessary precautions against bites from insects and animals. Always check with your GP for any recommended vaccinations prior to travel.

Insect Bites

There are hundreds of ways to avoid those irritating insect bites - here are a couple of suggestions. Dampen a small cotton wool pad or tissue with hot water and add a few drops of lavender essential oil on to it. The lavender is great for relaxing and mosquitoes hate it! Vitamin B1 actually deters the little midges as it omits a smell they don't like and because humans can't smell it, it makes an ideal insect repellent. Start taking it 1-2 months before travel and hey presto - no mosquito bites!

Traveller's Tummy

It is a relatively common occurrence to suffer gastric illness when travelling abroad. There are many ways you can reduce the possibility of being affected such as: not eating undercooked food, avoiding ice drinks, ensuring you drink plenty of bottled water and avoid over exposure in the sun. In your travel medical kit, take some diarrhoea control tablets and electrolyte replacement powders for children with the runs. Do not stray too far away from your normal diet abroad nor pile your plate up with lots of different foods on the first night - break your stomach in gently. Having lobster, prawns, salad items and a little bit of steak washed down with 10 pints of the local brew is more likely to be your problem - not food poisoning!

Sunburn

Mild sunburn results in skin irritation and redness so can be very uncomfortable. The best treatment for sunburn is prevention - avoid sunbathing between 11am and 3pm. Apply waterproof sun cream that protects against UVA and UVB every 2 hours. Also use t-shirts and wide-brimmed hats to protect all the family.

Be Insured

The EHIC is the new E111 and is not valid for use in Turkey – so make sure your travel insurance will cover any medical costs should anything happen.

Booking Amendments

After you have booked a holiday there may be reasons why you need to amend the number of people going, transfer arrangements, board basis etc, so we have some essential information here about how to amend your SunWings holiday.
At SunWings we know that there may be unforeseen circumstances that mean you have to change your booking. If you want to change your holiday arrangements in any way we will try to help you in whatever way we can. However we cannot guarantee that we will always be able to do this as changes are subject to availability at the time.
Where we can make a change, we will charge for any additional services, facilities, or other items changed, at the price which applies on the day the change is made. In addition, we will also apply charges for each person on the booking and for each item you want to change as shown in the table below. Any booking discount you may have received at the time the original booking was made may be altered or reduced whenever changes are made. If you have paid supplements for accommodation and the number of people in your accommodation changes, you may have to pay extra and may lose any free or reduced infant and child places or any free group places. And remember, any change to your departure date, airport, transport, destination, accommodation, or length of holiday, has to apply to all members of your booking.

How Do I Amend A Booking?

Amendments to be notified in writing either by Email / Fax with a valid booking reference and detail what changes you require and we will try our best to help you make new arrangements.

How much will it cost to amend my booking?

We charge an amendment fee of £25 for each person on the booking for each item you want to change. We will charge no more than £50 pe person for any amendments made on the same day (for detailed information see our Booking Terms and Conditions Section 12.)
If you think there is a problem with your holiday arrangements you should get in touch with the SunWings Team as soon as possible so that you do not incur more costs than are necessary.

Cancellations

We hope that once your holiday is booked there will be no need for you to cancel, but if you do change your mind or if unexpected circumstances arise, you still have the option to cancel your booking. To find out more about cancellations go to our detailed information Booking Terms and Conditions Section 11 - information about cancelling your SunWings holiday (including applicable charges).
Even with the best of intentions and military-style planning, things can happen that put a holiday on the backburner. Cancellation charges are determined by the SunWings booking conditions that are shown during the booking journey. Please refer to these for applicable charges.
Should you find that you need to cancel your holiday with SunWings, take a look at the advice below. Charges and information is only applicable to holidays booked with SunWings.
The lead name on the booking must give written notice to cancel - this can include an email - and the charges apply from the date that we receive the notice at our offices, or the travel agent activates the cancellation. In order to cover our expected losses from the cancellation of the booking there is a set scale of charges which must be paid by you if you or anyone travelling with you cancels. Also note the 'Exception' described below which may apply in addition to the scale of charges.
If any member of the booking cancels and you cannot fill that person's place, you may have to pay additional supplements for your accommodation. For example, you may have to pay single or under-occupancy supplements. If you do cancel, you must still pay any insurance premiums and amendment charges which arose before the cancellation, and any deposits paid for any pre-booked items or services.
Exception - Cancellation of certain transport arrangements, typically scheduled airline tickets can result in up to 100% cancellation charges regardless of the notice period given to us. We reserve the right to pass on these charges which will apply to the transport element of your holiday and the cancellation charges in the scale above will apply to the other elements of your holiday (e.g. accommodation, optional extras). Similarly, name changes (including initial changes), destination and date changes can be treated by such suppliers as a cancellation and rebooking, regardless of the period of notice given to us. If the supplier treats the change as a cancellation and rebooking, we will pass on to you the cost imposed by the supplier, which could be up to 100% of the transport element of your booking and you must also pay the charge listed in the "Amendments" section. Also note that the transport provider may refuse to issue replacement tickets for lost or stolen tickets and new tickets may have to be purchased by you. The cost of the new ticket may be greater than the cost of the original ticket.
Make sure that you check the terms and conditions of your holiday found in your confirmation documents to get a clear idea of costs that you could have to pay should plans go awry.

Special Assistance

If you require special assistance due to reduced mobility (including a disability or a medical condition), please contact the airline direct to us to request this directly with them. They are usually able to offer assistance at the airport for those passengers who need it due to reduced mobility.
If you have a disability it is important that you make the appropriate enquiries about any special requirements before you confirm your booking. If special arrangements need to be made for you, an extra charge may have to be levied in some circumstances
Passengers with reduced mobility are strongly advised to contact us on 0845 408 2681 before making your reservation. This will enable our reservation agents to confirm availability of any assistance requirements prior to booking, as any changes made after booking will be subject to our standard change fees. Do not hesitate to contact us on 0845 408 2681 for further information, we will be pleased to answer any questions or queries that you may have regarding assistance.

People with Walking Difficulties and other Disabilities

Due to the topography of Turkey and indeed the style of some of the accommodations featured in our programme, there may be steps, a hill or other man-made or natural obstacles before the actual accommodation that has been chosen can be reached. Whilst every effort is made to provide an indication of such items in our general descriptions, should you believe that you or any member of your party is in any way either temporarily or permanently disabled, then this fact must be made clear by you at the time of booking.

SunWings Team Tip - Special Assistance

Please note: We cannot be responsible if you fail to tell us about special needs/requirements that will affect your travel arrangements and this means that we will not compensate you.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

SunWings recommend that you take a look at the travel advice and tips for British travellers on staying safe abroad and what help the FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) can provide if something goes wrong:
Foreign & Commonwealth Office