Forgot to purchase flight cancellation insurance?
If you forgot to purchase flight cancellation insurance, and
later regretted it, you may still have options to claim
compensation.
In fact, the vast majority of travellers make do without flight
cancelation insurance so you are not alone in your negligence.
However, if you travel a lot it is practically inevitable that at
some point you will experience a delay or cancellation of some
sort. When this occurs, even the most harmless of delays can have
unexpected consequences that lead to much greater upheavals down
the chain; missing a connecting flight being but one example.
But in the absence of flight cancellation insurance does the
consumer have any available options?
Start with a prudent approach. Consult the airline website
regarding their flight cancellation and delays policy. Determine
your eligibility according to their criteria, and if you qualify,
proceed with your case. It will normally begin by contacting the
airline directly (don't contact the airport you flew from). Any
phone call will probably be a precursor to a formalised complaint
letter.
Describe what happened in your letter, including the length of
the delay or cancellation and the reasons given for it. For
example, did you stay in the airport or did you need overnight
accommodation? Did you or the airline pay for your accommodation?
Did you miss another flight as a result? Tell them how much it cost
you and how much money you are demanding in compensation.
Should the above approach fail you, there is the further option
of contacting the Air Transport Users Council on
020 7240 6061, and visiting
complaints@auc.org.uk.
Our GUIDE TO THE SMALL CLAIMS
COURT contains helpful information on this lesser
used tactic.
Are you aware of Section 75 regarding credit card
purchases? Assuming that you paid for your tickets with a
credit card, then according to Section 75 of the Consumer Credit
Act 1974, you may have the right to claim reimbursement from the
credit card provider to cover the costs of your
delays. See our Section 75 Claims guide for more
information on your statutory rights.
Claims Financial