Play your cards right over flight disruption

Published on Thursday 26 May 2011 12:17

We can't stop volcanoes, but there's no need for plans to turn to dust

FLIGHT chaos, which broke out with the arrival of the latest volcanic ash cloud, served as a timely reminder of how easily the best-laid holiday plans can go awry.

Hundreds of flights in Scotland were cancelled when the ash cloud descended. Fortunately, the crisis blew over relatively quickly with normal services resumed within days.

Nevertheless, disappointed travellers will have been forced to struggle through airline rebooking and refund systems, which can be a frustrating, if not enraging, experience.

Furthermore, it will have given food for thought for anyone booking flights for their summer vacation.

The bottom line is airlines do not guarantee their flights, and all manner of things can go wrong to prevent you taking off as planned, from overbooking to mechanical problems, weather, industrial or civil action, airline collapses, or indeed the fall-out from further ash cloud problems.

Delays can cost you dear. If they go on too long, you may be forced to abandon your holiday completely, losing accommodation and car hire at the other end. They may mean missed connections, including lost inter-connecting flights.

If you take the right precautions, you can protect against most eventualities, so even if your holiday plans are ruined, you will not be out of pocket.

But most travellers are completely exposed, and can lose a fortune with few rights to claim compensation, even when you think you have covered all risks with a travel insurance policy. If you want security, you can't travel on the cheap. What safeguards are available to budget holidaymakers? We lead you through the maze.

Denied boarding

Airlines are obliged to look after their passengers under the EU "denied boarding" regulations and compensation scheme. These cover flights from and to EU countries.

Essentially if your flight is cancelled your airline must offer you alternative travel, or a full refund. It does not have to guarantee you the same flight at the same price and you may end up paying more. Beware when rebooking. It is usually best to rebook via the website as some budget airlines levy eye-watering telephone charges via their helplines.

Bumping

Under the regulations, if an airline has overbooked and cannot board all those who have checked in, it must first call for volunteers to give up their seats. Some may be happy to do, if offered sufficient inducement, such as a first-class ride the next day.

If not, then some passengers will be bumped. In this case, they must be offered an alternative ticket, plus refreshments, meals, hotel accommodation, and appropriate transport to their accommodation, as well as two free telephone calls, fax messages, or e-mails.

On top of this, customers can claim compensation unless they were warned in advance they would be bumped, or the disruption was minimal.

The rules say you can claim 250 euros for flights of less than 1,500 km, 400 for between 1500 and 3500 km and 600 for all other flights.Delay and cancellation

If your flight is delayed then you have the right to refreshments, or a hotel room if departure is put back until the next day. If it is cancelled your airline must again offer an alternative schedule or refund.

Abandoning your holiday

If the delay is been so substantial you decide to abandon your holiday because your plans are no longer feasible, the airline's only responsibility is to reimburse you for the lost flights. It has no responsibility to compensate you for lost accommodation, car hire or failed connecting flights or other connections.

Package deals

If you have arranged your holiday via a tour operator or travel agent these may compensate you for a lost holiday because of flight disruption. But there will be tough rules in place, which mean they only offer redress in specific instances, such as the death of a close relative or other medical emergency. A disinclination to travel may not be sufficient cause for a payout.

Always check what will happen if you are delayed and subsequently decide to abandon your holiday when you book your trip. With major disruptions, travel agents and tour operators will normally try to rebook you to an alternative destination, so your holiday is not ruined. Similarly, if your holiday company goes bust, there is insurance to make sure you are not out of pocket.

Travel insurance

When some people come to claim on their insurance, they can be left with the impression that the contract is not worth the paper it is written on.

This is not correct. However, travel insurance does not cover every eventuality as some holidaymakers expect.

Travel insurance contracts are primarily there to cover medical costs, or lost or stolen baggage. The most you will get from a standard policy for delay is a few pounds towards some refreshments, if you are held up at the airport for perhaps 12 hours.

Delays from weather conditions are covered under a standard policy but disasters are not. Many insurers treat the ash cloud as a natural disaster, while others consider it a weather condition.

Michael Powell, of financial analysts Defacto said: "When it comes to the ash cloud a standard policy will probably be of no use to you."

A standard insurance will not compensate you for lost flights or accommodation because your travel plans are disrupted.

However, because of the major disruption in recent summers, some insurers are now offering specialist independent traveller cover, which will protect against the worst fallouts. But these are significantly more expensive than the basic cheap policy.

Direct travel for example, will offer cover against ash cloud disruption and cancellation costs up 3,000 or 4,000 depending on which policy you buy. But an annual Europe contract will cost between 50 and 80.

Axa, Aviva, John Lewis and Marks & Spencer have contracts which offer wider cover to the independent traveller. But they are likely to exclude any disruption associated with strikes, civil unrest or security.The Co-op has said it will honour ash cloud claims and now plans to include it as standard in all its travel policies, including the free insurance included in the packaged bank accounts.

Connecting flights

If you lose a connecting flight, because your outgoing flight is disrupted or delayed, there is not much you can do about that. Association of British Travel Agents spokesman Sean Tipton said: "The second flight has nothing to do with the first airline. That is a private contract between you and the other company."

Again some insurance policies are beginning to offer missed connection cover, such as Axa's Free Spirit. as well as those aimed at independent travellers. Buying both flights with one airline may give you added protection, as it might be prepared to board you on a later departure. Alternatively ask your travel agent to book the flights for you and buy the deal as a package.

Bankruptcy

Since the start of the credit crunch holiday firms and airlines have been collapsing like cards, and it is doubtful we will get though the summer without another crash.

If the firm is a member of ABTA or the tour operators body, ATOL, then insurance is in place. However, not all airlines will have be covered by this protection.

In any event, last summer's claims involved long delays in the compensation being paid out.

Again, Post Office, M&S and Axa have travel policies which will provide protection against being caught up in a collapse, but you need to read the small print carefully to make sure you get the right one.

Credit card

Always pay for any holiday transaction using your credit card, as you can claim against the card issuer, if you have problems.

However, remember you will only be reimbursed if you bought the tickets for your own benefit and the cost was more than 100.

If you bought flights or a holiday for your family or as a gift for someone, then it will probably be covered under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act.

But if you are travelling with a party of friends, and one of you pays the entire travel bill, the other members may well not be covered.