Rip Off Britain: Holidays

Angela Rippon, Gloria Hunniford and Julia Somerville return with another series of investigations into viewers' travel and holiday disasters, with unmissable tips to keep your next trip on track and on budget. The team is in Barcelona, with exclusive access to how police are tackling the city's reputation as the pickpocketing capital of Europe. And, as a group of friends explains how a weekend away was ruined when thieves broke into their hotel room, surprising truths are revealed about what you are entitled to if the same thing happens to you. Plus tips for saving money on a trip to Paris from travel expert Simon Calder and advice on making sure you have the right travel insurance.

Gloria Hunniford, Angela Rippon and Julia Somerville investigate the jaw-dropping tale of how a company sent one family to a succession of villas it turned out they had no right to stay in, with the family only discovering the truth when one of the owners asked them what they were doing in his house. Plus, as one woman reveals how a pilgrimage to Graceland ended with a stay in the heartbreak hotel when her wheelchair was damaged by the airline, the team explores what should happen if similarly vital possessions don't finish the journey in one piece. Simon Calder has the lowdown on destinations that are exotic but affordable, and viewers who invested their life savings in dream properties near the Red Sea try to uncover why - five years on - their homes have yet to be built.

Gloria Hunniford, Angela Rippon and Julia Somerville get to the bottom of why if you suddenly have to cancel a holiday the travel company so often refuses to refund a penny - even if there is still plenty of time to sell it to someone else. As a couple reveals how even the most devastating diagnosis didn't allow them to cancel without losing out, a man who took on the industry and won explains how he did it. The team also examine why a family that spotted a mistake with their flights just minutes after booking still ended up with a whopping charge to change them, and travel expert Simon Calder has tips for exploring the Greek islands.

Gloria Hunniford, Angela Rippon and Julia Somerville investigate viewers' holiday disasters. As a group of unconnected travellers come together to share extraordinary footage of the conditions at their hotel, why have their complaints been treated differently by the holiday company when they went through the same experience? A company's boasts of being the best are questioned by disappointed customers, including a pair of pensioners who felt they had no choice but to pack up and go home almost as soon as they arrived. Paralympian Steve Brown meets people who say even the biggest holiday names are getting it wrong when it comes to disabled travellers. And travel expert Simon Calder has tips on visiting Croatia on a budget.

Gloria Hunniford, Angela Rippon and Julia Somerville investigate problems viewers have had with flights, meeting families furious that even after paying for guaranteed seats together, that's not what they got when they arrived at the plane. So what are the rules on how families are supposed to be seated? Also in this episode is a look at the vital travel documents you may not know you need - but which you won't get anywhere without, and a woman makes a last-ditch attempt to cure her fear of flying. But will it work? And travel expert Simon Calder chooses once-in-a-lifetime trip if money weren't an issue.

Angela Rippon, Gloria Hunniford and Julia Somerville continue the new series of holiday investigations by examining the cleanliness of British hotel rooms. As lab tests prove there's a lot more to hotel hygiene than meets the eye, will booking into a more expensive hotel guarantee you'll end up with a cleaner room? Also today, with complaints that some five star hotels don't quite meet the high standard you'd expect, the team unravels what exactly determines how any stars a hotel deserves. Plus, travel expert Simon Calder has money-saving tips for visiting the USA.

Gloria Hunniford, Angela Rippon and Julia Somerville investigate health-related holiday disasters, getting to the bottom of why couples who've had to cancel holidays because of the rapid spread of the zika virus haven't been able to get their money back.

Also today, could the ease with which pets can now travel abroad be the reason why a disease that's deadly to dogs has now suddenly appeared in the UK? Plus, travel guru Simon Calder reveals three top holiday destinations you've probably never heard of, but where you'll get much better value for money than more familiar favourites. And, with even the cleanest of British beaches still occasionally covered in things you might not expect to find yourself swimming in, there's advice on how to tell if your trip to the seaside could be affected.

Julia Somerville, Gioria Hunniford and Angela Rippon hear dramatic stories of how viewers' holidays were scuppered by unexpected disasters, with advice to ensure the same won't happen to you.

As one family reveals the terrifying fall-out from a fire in the French chateau they were staying in, could you fall foul of the same law that saw then hit with the bill for its repair? Also today, families caught up in extreme weather and hurricanes question whether the holiday companies looking after them did enough to keep them safe, travel expert Simon Calder has invaluable advice on sailing through the various extra charges on cruises, and the experience of two mums-to-be exposes surprising complications of travelling when pregnant.

As consumer champions Angela Rippon, Gloria Hunniford and Julia Somerville investigate problems viewers have run into at the airport, a surprising – and costly – problem you might face with your passport is revealed. Also today, behind the scenes at airport security, to unravel continued confusion over what you can and can't take on board. Plus, travel expert Simon Calder revals holiday destinations that will appeal to all generations, and a mum test out whether a new initiative to help travellers with hidden disabilities will make travelling with her autistic son any easier.

Gloria Hunniford, Angela Rippon and Julia Somerville investigate problems viewers have had with some of the biggest names in the business, hearing how one man's home was being rented out to holidaymakers without him knowing anything about it – and it seemed there was little he could do to stop it. Also today, the hidden charge adding hundreds of dollars to American hotel bills, travel expert Simon Calder has advice on avoiding holiday scams, and the team unpicks whether ATA protection means quite what you might assume.

As they unpick the latest audacious holiday scams, Julia Somerville, Angela Rippon and Gloria Hunniford are on the trail of the airport meet and greet companies that promise safe and secure parking, but instead leave cars in fields or by the side of the road. Also today, the bogus travel businesses out to steal your cash are revealed, and Simon Calder has tips and advice to steer clear of trouble when driving abroad. Plus, one man's desperate search to see if a holiday villa really exists: only if he can prove it's a scam will his credit card company give him his money back.

Angela Rippon, Gloria Hunniford, and Julia Somerville tackle more of the stories viewers have asked them to investigate, including a life-changing accident in Cuba that's left one group of friends asking who's responsible when disaster strikes on a trip abroad. Also today, a nine hour wait for a life-saving operation in Mexico – all because the insurance company back home couldn't confirm it would cover the cost. Plus, travel expert Simon Calder has money-saving tips for exploring the Balearic Islands, and why the laws that apply on a cruise ship may not always be those of the country you'd expect.

Gloria Hunniford, Angela Rippon and Julia Somerville discover how airlines are working to stop drunk passengers disrupting flights, meeting a small boy caught in the crossfire, and the bouncers recruited by airports to tackle the problem once and for all. Plus, the surprising explanation for why a hotel sold as 'adults-only' could still be full of children, travel expert Simon Calder reveals the island paradise that needn't break the bank, and the booking mix-ups that left one single traveller wary of travelling alone again.

Julia Somerville, Gloria Hunniford and Angela Rippon reveal the unwelcome guests said to be scuppering more holidays than ever. As bedbugs return with a vengeance, the team is out with the sniffer dogs hunting them down in hotels and on planes. But could you unwittingly be giving the creatures a lift back to British shores? Travel expert Simon Calder has advice on staying safe abroad, and, with reports that jellyfish are on the rise, what's the truth about the threat they pose – and the best way to avoid being stung?

In the last of the series, Angela Rippon, Gloria Hunniford and Julia Somerville expose secrets of the airline, testing out if it's really true that airlines are snooping on your flight searches in order to hike up fares. Also today, how you might experience the biggest delays by flying on a smaller airline, and why, if it turns out your flight isn't on the airline you booked with, you could end up hundreds of pounds out of pocket if things go wrong. Plus, Simon Calder has tips on visiting Dubai.