Monkey business: Why you need to be wary of simians when travelling

Monkeys can be a menace. Cute but dangerous. 

I've seen an unsuspecting shopper robbed of their groceries by an agile simian in South Africa, and an idiot bitten by a monkey in Bali. 

The closer humans come to their natural habitat the bolder monkeys become. 

Now a leading travel insurance company has issued a waning for holidaymakers; use caution or you may end up with a massive medical bill. 

Southern Cross Travel Insurance (SCTI) has just completed its 2025 round-up of travel insurance claims and reported that the number of travel insurance claims resulting from monkey-related incidents has surged by 350% in the past two years. 

While 78% of these claims were medical claims relating to bites or scratches from monkeys there were also several cases of theft-by-monkey.

In one case a traveller reported a gang of monkeys breaking into their villa in Bali and stealing a mobile phone - that one sounds dubious to me as monkeys prefer food to digital devices.

Others have had sunglasses and prescription lenses snatched straight off their faces - monkeys love shiny things. In another case, a child visiting Ubud Monkey Forest was hit in the eye by a monkey and required two rabies shots and a course of antiviral medications to combat potential rabies exposure.

Jess Strange, Chief Customer Officer at SCTI says: “Many people don't realise how quickly costs can add up when you fall ill or get injured overseas. Insurance isn't just about covering bills - it's about making sure you get the right care and support when you need it most.

“In some situations, getting home safely isn't as simple as booking a standard flight. 

“Customers may need to travel with a medical team, which often means an air ambulance or chartered flight - costs that can quickly climb into six figures. Even something as simple as upgrading a stricken traveller to premium economy or business class can add thousands of dollars to the bill."

It is pretty simple really. If you can't afford to take out travel insurance don't travel. Or be prepared to launch one of those annoying Go Fund Me pages to cover your stupidity. 

SCTI provides International Comprehensive and International Medical Only travel insurance policies for those travelling overseas. A Working Overseas policy is also available. Visit the website for more information: www.scti.com.au

New technology aims to help airport users

Ever rushed through an unfamiliar airport trying to find your gate?

New technology may help hapless travellers who get lost in airports.

British Airways announced this week that it is trialling a new digital wayfinding tool to speed up passenger flows through London Heathrow.

The new tech offers maps of both London Heathrow Terminal 5 and Terminal 3, helping customers to quickly locate their departure gate, Travel Mole reports.

It also gives passengers instructions on how to find shops, lounges and restaurants. So money is the real motivation.

But the new wayfinding tool also allows customers to save time and reduce the chance of missing a flight.

Through an interactive map, customers can click on areas including shops and view information about their exact location, opening times, and a description on items on sale.

It also shows bathrooms, seating areas and information points.

Customers connecting between flights, can input their inbound and connecting flight details to be given step-by-step instructions to their designated gate.

The trial is available to all customers travelling through London Heathrow, and they can access the tool through QR codes on digital screens.

As part of the trial, links to wayfinding have also been sent to all customers travelling into London Heathrow and connecting from destinations including New York JFK, Dubai, Mexico City and Houston.

Calum Laming, BA's Chief Commercial Officer, said: “The interactive map is simple to use, allowing our customers to easily locate their departure gates.”

Five travel tips to make your next overseas trip better

Overseas travel is not as much fun as it used to be.

Airports are crowded; flights are often delayed, queues are longer.

But just a little foresight can help make your trip just a little bit easier.

Here are some tips that might help you next time you hit the airport.

1. Take a pillow with you. Aircraft are more cramped than ever before; and seats seem to be getting smaller. A travel cushion or pillow for your head - or back support - can make your flight a little more bearable, but who wants to drag one around from hotel to hotel? Simple solution: Grab an old pillow from your cupboard, use it on your outbound flight and then donate it to an op shop on arrival. Before departure pay a couple of bucks for a replacement at a charity outlet before you fly home. Simple and cheap.

2. Turn left not right. Here's a clever tip from Southern Cross travel insurance to avoid queues at immigration counters. Research shows that most people are right handed and tend to turn to the right first, so do the opposite. Go to the left and you may be able to move faster through airport security and customs.

3. Make a phone call. There are some very good deals available on hotel booking sites, but you may be able to get a better one by calling your hotel of choice directly. See what the current price is at booking.com or similar sites, and then call the hotel. Ask if they can do a better deal, or offer a perk like a late check out. Hotels pay big money in commission to booking sites, so many would prefer to deal with you direct. It's worth a try.

4. Go for colour. Many suitcases look the same. Particularly if you have chosen black. Tie a colourful ribbon on your case, or put some bright sticky tape on it. That way you'll be able to identify your baggage quickly on the airport carousel, or in a pile of suitcases.

5. Download a translation app. If you are heading for a country with a lively tourism industry then chances are there will be someone who speaks your language. If, however, you are in Poland, Laos or Honduras, things might be a little trickier. Download a translation app on your phone before your trip. With the Google Translate app, you can hold your phone’s camera up to any text, and the app will translate it for you, whether you are puzzled by a street sign or a menu. Nifty.

And a bonus. Take a photo of your key passport pages and email to yourself. If you do happen lose your passport then you will have something to show to officials.

Image: Tiago Gomes, scop.io 

Forget stale sandwiches: meet the $38 airport beer

Regulars will recall my weekend outrage over paying $23 for a semi-stale sandwich, crisps and a soft drink at Melbourne Airport. 

The response from readers underlined that being ripped off at airports is endemic in Australia, and in many places around the world. 

But the three airports serving New York City might take the cake when it comes to bare-faced theft. 

Foodie and regular correspondent Robert Carmack pointed out a recent story in the Washington Post about the absurd prices of drinks at three New York City-area airports. 

It reported that an investigation by transportation authorities that oversee New York airports confirmed that customers had paid as much as $27 (that's over $38 Aus!) for a beer at LaGuardia Airport over the past year. 

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said it was tightening the “street pricing” policy that keeps concessions prices comparable to prices outside airports. 

The revised policy also caps surcharges at 10%. The authority regulates LaGuardia (above), John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.

After investigating a complaint posted on social media last July, the Office of Inspector General for the airport authority reported that concessions operator OTG violated its policy. 

The OIG found 25 patrons were charged ​​” totally indefensible amounts” of $23 or $27, depending on the size of the beer, in Terminal C at LaGuardia.

One has to question their sanity for paying that much - but there you go. 

The beer that prompted the audit was a 23-ounce Sam Adams Summer Ale that cost $27.85. 

The review found some beer prices included “an erroneously added surcharge on top of an inflated base price”. 

OTG also operates airport concessions in cities including Washington DC, Chicago, Philadelphia and Houston. It might be a business worth avoiding.