Flight delay? Travel insurance cover for strike action

Added 12/04/2012

Airplane taking off

On-going strike action is currently affecting flights to Spain and Portugal, causing delays and cancellations. With austerity measures continuing to hit areas of the Eurozone, including some of our best loved summer holiday destinations, it looks like we could be set for another summer of strikes causing disruption to our well-earned holidays.

The continued risk of strike action is a very good reason to buy travel insurance as soon as you book your holiday. Travel insurance can provide cover for flight delays caused by strike action so long as you booked your holiday and bought your insurance before a strike announced.

Your rights if your flight is delayed

If your flight is delayed or cancelled due to strike action your first point of call should be your airline or tour operator.

You have a contract with your airline to get you to your chosen destination at a certain time, if they are unable to do so, whether that is due to a strike action or bad weather, they have a duty to look after you. This would involve offering refreshments or hotel accommodation in the event of a long delay.

If your airline cancels your flight due to a strike, they are required to offer you an alternative flight, or a full refund.

In addition to your rights with your airline your travel insurance policy can give you some more options.

Travel insurance cover for strike action

Goodtogoinsurance.com customers who have booked their trip and bought a Gold or Platinum travel insurance policy before a strike is announced will have cover under the travel delay section of their travel insurance in the event that their flight is affected by strike action.

The travel delay section of a travel insurance policy is designed to cover additional expenses, such as extra food and drink, whilst you are waiting at the airport for your flight to depart; it pays a fixed benefit for every 12 hours that you are delayed.

In addition to this, after a delay of 12 hours, you also have the option to abandon your holiday and make a claim for the cost, up to the limit stated in the terms and conditions.

This travel insurance cover for abandonment gives you more freedom. For instance if you are going away short break, you might consider that a 12 hour delay eats into your holiday time too much. Therefore you can decide to abandon your holiday and make a claim for the cost, up to the amount stated in the policy. You could them use that money to rebook a holiday for another time.

To make a claim under the travel delay section of your travel insurance policy you must have checked in for your flight at the airport and you must obtain a letter from the airline or travel company confirming the length and reason for the delay.

Gold and Platinum travel insurance policies from Goodtogoinsurance.com include cover for travel delay.

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