FRIDAY 13th ! Unlucky or lucky for travellers?

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Problem
Will I find flights cheaper on Friday and on the 13th and should I postpone travel - or seek out bargains?

I have a friend who was born on the thirteenth of the month and he says that for his parents and him it was a lucky day, a day of celebration.

Lucky dates vary around the world. The Chinese are very superstitious and when we tried to sell a motorbike in Singapore the first question we were asked was, "What's the number on the number plate?" They wanted the Chinese lucky number 8, and to avoid the unlucky number 4 which sounds like death. I've heard of people in China swapping the numbers on houses.

Many hotels don't have a room 13. They rename it 12b and 12 is renamed 12a. The same goes for floors in a hotel. If you want to know whether your hotel or apartment block or office has a floor 13, just check the buttons in the lift (Americans say elevator).

it 13 really an unlucky day? I read a book about superstition. The author looked at hospital records and found that admissions and deaths were no greater on the 12th and 14th of a month than on the 13th.

An analysis of flights shows a slight dip in the numbers flying on the 13th. However, this is not universal.You won't find your British Airways flight invariably less. If you want to find flights reduced, it's the same as any other day of the year, you have to be flexible about your destination and airline and see what's good value that day.

 There are 52 Tuesdays in a year, at least one and maximum three Friday thirteenths.  Other countries regard Tuesday as unlucky, or the number 17 (eg Italy). Should you wish to read more of this nonsense, please go to Wikipedia.

If you are superstitious, think how many Friday the 13th's you have survived. Aren't you lucky!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/are-flights-really-cheaper-on-friday-the-13th/

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.