One of the reasons people hesitate getting travel insurance is because tour operators (and travel regulations) offer compensation if a flight, ferry, or train is delayed. So, if you are going to get a payout if the tour operator messes up, then why pay for travel insurance? We cover how travel insurance can top up the compensation even if the tour operator is at fault!
Sandstorm stops travel – Sal Airport, Cape Verde © Kerry McCarthy
So, why pay for travel insurance if the tour operator will compensate?
Firstly, travel insurance offers so much more protection against all the other things out of your control. Anything from lost, damaged, or stolen luggage, belongings, and passports to medical assistance and even repatriation.
Travel insurance may also offer compensation when the tour operator has already offered their but too. Much of it will depend on your travel insurance provider and the level of cover you have chosen.
Real world example – a recent trip to Boa Vista, Cape Verde
A plane full of expectant holidaymakers were heading out on an all-inclusive break to Boa Vista. Most had booked via Tui, some via First Choice holidays – all had high expectations that they were about to have a restful week (or two) relaxing in the sun after a mere 6 hour flight to Rabil, Boa Vista.
The flight departed from Gatwick airport one grey Tuesday morning in February, but the holidaymakers didn’t land at their chosen destination until midday Thursday morning!
What went wrong?
Tuesday:
- On the approach into Rabil a pretty hefty sandstorm made it impossible to land – Boa vista doesn’t have the same bells and whistles as other airports, not even lights for the runway.
- The pilot elected to abort the landing – thank fully not as hairy as one might imagine – and we carried on to the neighbouring island Sal where the airport has a bit more tech and the sandstorms don’t hit quite as hard.
- After a few hours waiting in Sal airport we had an update that the sandstorm was not abating, and with no rooms available on the island to put us up for the night (it was half term after all, so most places were fully booked) they were going to fly us 2 hours back north to Tenerife and try again the next day to get us on our way.
In transit at Sal Airport © Kerry McCarthy
Wednesday:
- We were collected from various hotels we had been dropped off at the night before – more on that below – and dropped off to catch an early afternoon flight.
- There aren’t usually flights from Tenerife to Boa Vista so there were problems checking in and getting through security, and passport control wasn’t prepared for a planeload of extra people to process – cue massive queues and the inevitable delays!
- The flight lost its slot to take off, the flight was removed from the board, we were ushered away from our gate and told there would be updates.
- At around 4pm we were finally told we could board – we got comfy in our seats and then the captain announced that we would not be departing after all. No reasons given.
- Back off the plane, and back to being allocated yet another hotel to spend the night in in Teneriffe. Fingers crossed for tomorrow.
Making the most of Tenerife before attempt two © Kerry McCarthy
Thursday
- 6am pickup from the hotel
- On the plane by 10
- In Boa Vista by lunchtime clutching a well-deserved cocktail!
What did the tour operators do?
Sadly not a lot. They seemed ill-prepared to have reps on hand, and even less prepared with alternative arrangements.
- No food or drink tokens were given out at any point
- There was no service on the flight to Tenerife, or back to Boa Vista due to strict service legislations.
- It was first come first served to bag a spot at a hotel – some got 5-star penthouse suites, others got 2-star shared accommodation.
- Not everyone got a space on a transfer.
- Arrival at the temporary hotel the first night was too late to get food.
- The following night we were not granted “all inclusive” access.
- Those with children were most affected as it was half term so most family-friendly hotels nearby were already full. The adults-only groups fared much better.
- The passenger list for the new flights did not have everyone accounted for and there wasn’t a rep in sight to help.
- There was no explanation as to why the flight on the Wednesday could not take off once we had boarded the plane.
What kind of things did holidaymakers have to pay for out of their own pocket?
- Food & drink – not something you would have budgeted for having already paid for an all-inclusive holiday! For a family of 4 over what was essentially 2 days this is not an insignificant amount – especially when you consider all we had access to was airport food and drink. We were a party of 6 adults and 1 child – and we were grateful to have a credit card to use!
- Taxi transfers – so many passengers were left as good as stranded at the airport waiting for a hotel allocation that most took it into their own hands to find a palace to stay. As you would once it hit 10pm and you have babes in arms. This meant footing the bill for a taxi from the airport to a hotel.
- Hotel accomodation – those who found their own hotel had to obviously pay for their accommodation. However, even those who were allocated a hotel by Tui or First Choice had to pay a full room deposit upon arrival with the promise that the hotel would refund the next day.
- Food and drink for flights – because the flight had not returned to the UK, regulations state that there can be no service on board. The best the crew could offer was to fill water bottles – so more airport food needed for travel.
What compensation was offered?
- Everyone on the flight was entitled to the statutory EC261 Flight Delay Compensation – this has nothing to do with the tour operator but at least they did provide a link to fill out the form. Each person was given the maximum compensation of £520.
- Tui refunded two days pro-rata for loss of holiday. For us this was £400pp
- Tui also gave each booking a holiday voucher worth £150 per person – redeemable against their own holiday packages. No cash alternative and no splitting of vouchers. Not ideal for 3 couples travelling together!
- Tui opened up lines of communication for those to make a claim for expenses incurred – they were very heavily restrictive about what could be claimed and by all accounts quite few of the passengers remain heftily out of pocket for food, drink, transfers, and accommodation.
The one thing that could not be compensated for was unexpectedly being in an EU country for 2 days. Travel rules state that UK citizens must not stay in a Schengen area for more than a total of 90 days out of 180. Frequent travellers and those who work abroad could well have exceeded their limit, or found future travel plans impacted by landing in Tenerife as opposed to Boa Vista, which is outside the Schengen area.
What extra compensation could be available from travel insurance?
- Delays – even if you have had statutory compensation, you travel insurance may well offer added compensation for your delay – check your policy or give your insurance provider a call.
- Expenses – having to pay for unexpected transportation, accommodation, food and drink due to a travel disruption may be covered under an expenses clause in your travel insurance – again, check your policy or give your insurance provider a call.
- Bookings and excursions – if a delay meant that you missed out on a pre-paid bookings, tours, or experiences this may also be covered in your travel insurance.
Is it worth making a claim?
Does making a travel insurance claim increase your premium?
Making a claim won’t harm any kind of rating that will affect your insurance premiums. Worst case scenario is that your insurance doesn’t cover what you are trying to claim for; best case, you get additional compensation. Your premiums next time you come to renew will not be impacted by previous claims, successful or otherwise.
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