Volcano-proof travel insurance

The_Abyss said:
Airlines only care (if they care at all) about the flight. They do not give a stuff about what plans you may have made when you've got there, and the law is pretty much on their side to agree with them.
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Do you have a source?

Presumably a contract exists for transport from A to B on a certain date (or, if reasonable, within a certain date).

If a situation really exists whereby you can purchase a ticket, they are unable to carry you, yet are entitled to simply offer you a new flight 3 months later, then something is wrong. I'm not entirely sure this is the case.
 
yak.h'cir said:
Surely if it's a potentially different volcano erupting in the future you'd be ok as it's a new event. Only if the current one is still causing problems will you get into trouble... But I guess with insurance companies nothing is that simple!
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I'm pretty sure the chain of causation will factor into this.
 
It seems my preferred choice of carrier is adopting a common sense attitude anyway, which it would be reasonable to expect would be repeated should the same issues on the same scale reoccur in the future:

A Refund of unused flights, of the full cost of the ticket at the price at which it was bought for, for the part or parts of the journey not made.
All refunds will be credited to the original form of payment. Passengers requiring a refund should go back to the point of sale. In view of the fact that when UK Airspace does reopen the availability of seats will be very limited for at least a 10 -14 days afterwards we strongly advise all passengers whose flights have been cancelled and who have not started their journeys to avail themselves of this option.
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It seems they would at this time rather refund you than rebook you.
 
[TW]Fox;16396374 said:
Do you have a source?

Presumably a contract exists for transport from A to B on a certain date (or, if reasonable, within a certain date).

If a situation really exists whereby you can purchase a ticket, they are unable to carry you, yet are entitled to simply offer you a new flight 3 months later, then something is wrong. I'm not entirely sure this is the case.
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Unless we are in the "volcanic ash scenario" then yes you are right they can't just reschedule it to any particular time.

With EU airlines you are definitely covered under EU law to a certain extent (bare in mind the extraordinary circumstances)
EU leaflet (but dated 2007)
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/air_p...2007_04_04_air_passenger_rights_poster_en.pdf
 
We are in the process of having two seperate flights with different airlines refunded back to the credit cards due thanks to Eyjafjallajökull.

I think as long as you fly with proper airlines then refunds in this rather rare scenario shouldn't be a problem.
Brussels Airlines and LOT, in this case..
 
I hear on Radio 5 that a lot of Insurers are counting this as "An act of God" - Good luck finding somebody who covers against such acts!!!

I don't fancy your chances however much I can appreciate the situation.
 
now this has happened there will be specific insurance out there to cater for these events. its opened up a new market. wouldnt surprise me if we saw these products being marketed before the end of the month!

at the end of the day. premium = prob of event * expected payout + insurance profit.
 
According to the Association of British Insurers there's no such thing as an act of God exclusion. It's basically down to what cover is specified in the insurance policy.

I'm flying to Vietnam in October so naturally checked my travel insurance documentation and came to the conclusion that I don't have enough information to know whether I'd be covered or not :rolleyes: As soon as this thing dies down a bit I'll probably give them a call to find out definitively. One things for sure - you can always rely on insurance companies to find some way of getting out of paying.
 
regarding the flights: http://www.auc.org.uk/default.aspx?catid=306&pagetype=90&pageid=9367 seems to suggest that you should always get a refund on any unused parts of your ticket, however you won't be due compensation, presumably which could have covered hotel etc if you're stuck somewhere.
If your flight is cancelled you are entitled (under Regulation (EC) 261/2004) to the following;

1. Refund or re-routing

1. If you decide not to travel you are entitled to a refund, within seven days, of the parts of the tickets not used. If it is a connecting flight and you have already made part of the journey and do not want to continue with it, reimbursement of the total price of the ticket (including parts of the journey not made if the flight is no longer serving any purpose in relation to your original travel plan) within seven days and a free flight back to point of departure.

You are not entitled (under Regulation (EC) 261/2004) to reimbursement of any other components of your trip such as hotel and transfer costs

or

Re-routing to your final destination as soon as possible or, if you agree, at a later date. (If the airline flies you to another airport in your destination city then they must pay for the transfer to the airport you were booked for or to another close-by point of your choice)
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They can reschedule you but only if you agree.

Rather annoyingly this disagrees completely with what I was told when our flights back from Ireland were cancelled for 3 days because of fog, we managed to get on a flight the next day, but were told we wouldn't get a refund, as I didn't book the tickets I've not looked into it until now.
 
[TW]Fox;16396399 said:
It seems my preferred choice of carrier is adopting a common sense attitude anyway, which it would be reasonable to expect would be repeated should the same issues on the same scale reoccur in the future:



It seems they would at this time rather refund you than rebook you.
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It this VA?
 
[TW]Fox;16395770 said:
The whole 'we dont cover an act of god' thing is so stupid - surely thats the entire point in insurance. To cover against unforseen bad things.
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they should have to proove god exists
 
haven't read the entire thread but i'm with Direct Travel insurance and they said they will cover all costs ( flights / hotel / parking / etc )

As long as I bought the insurance before yesterday 9am. Strange !
 
I would want a full refund even without insurance.


I turned up at the airport on time, I have met my side of the bargain by paying the money and being there.

it isn't my fault they didn't build the plane to take ash. Should have thought about it a bit more. they know volcanoes exist so they should take the risk not me.

for example in the ISP industry if a customers leased line went down due to an "act of god" we would still get it fixed and pay out for the downtime. It wasn't the customers fault and while not directly our own it is our problem. EG We chose to lay cables in the ground where earthquakes sometimes occur. they chose to fly near volcanoes. Perhaps we should use 3G as backup and maybe they should have some form of backup such as ash proof planes or contracts with rail/ferry companies for emergency alternatives etc for example.

This is good customer service. Well, not even good, just what I would expect from a half decent company.
 
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starfighter said:
I would want a full refund even without insurance.


I turned up at the airport on time, I have met my side of the bargain by paying the money and being there.

it isn't my fault they didn't build the plane to take ash. Should have thought about it a bit more. they know volcanoes exist so they should take the risk not me.

for example in the ISP industry if a customers leased line went down due to an "act of god" we would still get it fixed and pay out for the downtime. It wasn't the customers fault and while not directly our own it is our problem. EG We chose to lay cables in the ground where earthquakes sometimes occur. they chose to fly near volcanoes. Perhaps we should use 3G as backup and maybe they should have some form of backup such as ash proof planes or contracts with rail/ferry companies for emergency alternatives etc for example.

This is good customer service. Well, not even good, just what I would expect from a half decent company.
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who you gonna claim the money back from, if it's an "act of god" no-one is to blame

Or, as set out in Tennant v. Earl of Glasgow, (House of Lords, 1864):

"Circumstances which no human foresight can provide against, and of which human prudence is not bound to recognize the possibility, and which when they do occur, therefore, are calamities that do not involve the obligation of paying for the consequences that may result from them."
 
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