| |
Travel Insurance -
Compensation: Who’ll Bail Stranded Travellers?
|
|
| |
| |
When Heathrow Airport’s £4.3 billion Terminal 5 threw it doors open to customers last week, every ordinary mind including mine perhaps, thought it was one such event that would transit to easing the burden of travellers almost immediately. No one imagined it would become a nightmare that would last long enough to truncate the dreams of hundreds of travellers - holidaymakers and even would-be brides and grooms - that had patiently dreamed of the day they would jet out to their dream holiday. But soon after its launch it became such a monster that the chaos that trailed the opening has totally eclipsed the fanfare that greeted it.
Among those that have so far had their dreams dashed in such a way that they would be in no hurry to forget are Karen Ball and Jonathan Woodward, a couple billed to be married in Hawaii. Their bag, in which the brides wedding dress had been safely concealed, is among the 28,000 officially acknowledged as stranded or missing. Summarising the couple’s travail, Mr Woodward said: “There have been tears from both of us; you have got this amazing day built up for months and months and months. I was looking forward to this trip so much, so much it is unbelievable.” As curious as it may seem, it’s equally the reality for many others that have been let-down, like Karen and Jonathan, by British Airways.
Also affected by this crisis that will hunt BA and everyone involved in running the airport for a very long time is the Olympic torch expected to arrive through Terminal 5 this weekend. With the crisis raging unabated, organisers of the London leg of the torch relay have now shelved the Terminal 5 plan. And the Beijing torch will now arrive via the Royal Suite, which is used by the Queen.
The whole crisis, condemnable as it is, pitifully makes travellers the biggest losers. This was what provoked aviation minister, Jim Fitzpatrick into saying passengers have been made to suffer “unacceptably poor experience” even as he berated the delivery. I quite agree with the honourable minister’s remark, especially the fact that the problem is a dent to UK’s enviable standard. But beyond criticism what is the government doing to help the innocent victims heal at least some of the trauma inflicted on them?
Mr Fitzpatrick said passengers should get the assistance and compensation to which they were entitled. This is rather vague as BA, following a unilateral decision that took little consideration of customers’ plight, have sent letters telling those affected to make private arrangements for which they said were happy to reimburse “some of your out of pocket expenses”. In the letter they clearly pegged a limit to the compensation passengers could get. The Air Transport Users Council has already reacted to this by saying it breached European regulations, but a better offer is yet to come from anywhere.
As the fiasco prepares to prolong like a horror movie too long, one wonders who is going to bail out the victims, especially in terms of befitting compensations. MSN Money’s Sarah Modlock was quick to answer that it’s traveller insurers. Although she warned that passengers may not get any compensation where they had their flight cancelled or disrupted as a result of the threats of terrorism, the glimmer of hope in this case is that no such thing happened. So, Ms Modlock’s word of advice is very timely.
If you are wondering where to run to for help, perhaps, you may have the answer in your travel insurance policy. Paraphrasing Sarah Modlock, I say take a good look at it.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Travel Insurance
Guides |
|
|
|
|