 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello folks.
Having read all the horror stories on here about budget airlines cancelling flights on a whim and then hearing a recent item on the radio regarding travel insurance where an "insurance expert" said it is extremely rare to find a policy with flight cancellation cover I thought I'd better check my policy - No Cover. I then started looking around at other policies and it does seem that flight cancellation is not covered (not to be confused with flight delay and abandonment)
I was toying with the idea of taking out a seperate cheap policy that covered flight cancellation on top of my usual winter sports/travel policy, if I could find one and if it was cheap enough.
Anyway, I was wondering if any snowheads had any advice or words of wisdom to share as it seems that independent travel with budget airlines is a favourite here (and I know how much you all like writing about insurance, especially off-piste cover) and the consequences of a cancelled flight could be severe disruption to an expensive ski holiday with no compensation.
Happy New Year by the way.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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First thing: for most of us, no matter how much insurance you've got, if you miss a day's (or more skiing) you've missed it. You'll not get it back, no matter how much compensation you are paid. It begs the question if the insurance is worth taking - though I suppose it can offer some consolation.
With my BMC insurance, delay is allowed for. Up to £100 - but after 12 hour delay I can decide to cancel the trip, and get up to £5k.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Mrs Monium here.
It's very rare to see on insurance policies from what I've found. I tend to read the small print before taking out any insurance policy and most policies have the compensation for each 12 hours you're delayed by, but little else of help. Do however bear in mind that airlines are obliged under EU law to get you to your destination / provide refreshments whilst you wait, etc and also to compensate you in certain circumstances. But as has been said, that doesn't help with a missed ski day.
However, you're definitely worse off if you're travelling by train as a friend found out on our recent trip to Tignes - she took the train and was hideously delayed on the way back (15 hours or so) and Eurostar are likely to be invoking the 'beyond our control' clause meaning she'll get sweet FA. At least if Queasyjet had cancelled our flight we could get compensation from the airline.
FWIW, Mr Monium and I have Dogtag insurance, which does seem to be pretty good cover generally and has very good sports cover.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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achilles, Monium, With your policies, if you had pre paid ski-school, lift pass & ski hire (I realise you may not use 1 and 3, but IF you had) would they be refunded if you cancelled the whole trip after a 12 hour delay?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I think so, yes. I've got the same kind of thing - cancellation after 12 hours of delay as long as stuff was checked in will pay up to £5k. This doesn't seem to specify what it'll cover, but if you couldn't recover the lost cost from somewhere else (e.g. the airline / TO or ski school) then I guess the insurance would pay out. I'd certainly argue with them that they should.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks.
| Monium wrote: |
| ... cancellation after 12 hours of delay as long as stuff was checked in will pay up to £5k. |
I don't like that last bit... I'm just thinking about the recent weather issues in the UK - it seems unlikely you would have been able to claim at all as you'd never have got the chance to check in. Am I mis reading it?
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and you can't check anything onto a cancelled flight.
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Having read all the horror stories on here about budget airlines cancelling flights
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not just budget airlines - some bad experiences with Swiss and BA too.
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I paid about £1.30 extra for cover with travel direct ....
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Monium wrote: |
FWIW, Mr Monium and I have Dogtag insurance, which does seem to be pretty good cover generally and has very good sports cover. |
I have dogtag cover. Our flight to chambery on Dec 20th was delayed by 18 hours. As we were pleasant to the staf on the flight info desk, we were given the option of checking in our luggage (and given a fast track sticker to speed up processing through security thenext day). We duly checked in and went home.
Dogtag offers £10 per 12 hour delay. 
Brilliant. Had I checked beforehand (and I know it's my fault for not knowing this) I could have cancelled the trip and lost only the excess. Instead, I've lost a day's skiing, and belive me, £10 does not compensate towards that. I'm *NOT* a happy bunny.
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nbt, pam w, So, to cross threads, THIS is the point of online check in! Eureaka!
jennycook, paid 1.30 for what exactly please? 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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When I was on a flight out of Geneva a few weeks ago (or more accurately not on the flight as it went technical ... allegedly) a chap with Amercian Express cover was very smug re the amount of cover he had to wine and dine himself following a cancellation. Although that said he ended up in the same cruddy hotel in the middle of nowhere that easyJet put the rest of us in and sat down to the same ropey curry at midnight that I "enjoyed". Very good company though!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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a chap with Amercian Express cover was very smug re the amount of cover he had to wine and dine himself following a cancellation.
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Problem being - they won't have been paying as it was the airlines responsibilty !!!
Though I may have been unintentionally guilty of same smugness ... oops ...
red 27, it's for when airline goes bust more than if they cancel a flight... Most 'delay' payouts seem to be rubbish.... but this seemed worth having to me ... sorry if misleading , was not my intention.
http://www.direct-travel.co.uk/scheduled-airline-failure-insurance.aspx
"Scheduled Airline Failure Cover
In light of the recent events and concerns surrounding airline bankruptcy, we are pleased to confirm that our cover has now been extended to offer Scheduled Airline Failure Cover.
Scheduled Airline Failure Cover ensures you are protected if the airline you have booked your flights with declares bankruptcy. In the event of insolvency of the scheduled airline, you are insured for up to £1500 per person to pay for alternative travel arrangements*.
The cover means that if you are away and your scheduled airline declares bankruptcy, you would be covered to purchase an equivalent replacement flight in order to come home. If you haven’t yet travelled, Scheduled Airline Failure Cover will pay for irrecoverable flight costs should you have to cancel your trip due to your scheduled airline’s insolvency.
Our quotation process will clearly show you which of our policies include Scheduled Airline Failure Cover."
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FAQ
