Flights - War - Insurance - Rights

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Bronte

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Holidays

Having been caught in the Far East, due to the war in the Middle East, I'm wondering what are one's actual rights as regards being returned home are. I flew from the continent and a sibling from Ireland, via the Middle East, we left there for the Far East when it all cracked off while we were mid air. Qatar offered us change of flights, or money back for the return. My insurance, which is based on my bank car insurance declined any cover as it was war. Same for my sibling, and they also had insurance via the VHI. Basically you're on your own. Presumably there is no way to insure oneself on holidays if a war kicks off?

Flights

Second question, we travel a lot, including to Ireland, if I book now with Ryanair, and they run out of fuel

- can they increase the flight after the fact, a fuel surcharge comes to mind as it happened before I think
- if they don't fly, am I actually entitled to the fare back or can they claim war/force majeure

Summer Holidays

I'm now loath to book a summer holiday that involves flights. And I'm happy that we haven't booked anything. Being on the continent we can still go somewhere by car or public transport. But it does mean the continent will be very full this summer. Shall not get in a car though if a lack of petrol is possible, which is looking distinctly more likely. What are the AAM guys planning this summer and has the war America started had an influence on holidays to Spain/Turkey etc.
 
I have cruise from Seattle booked for September, it's all paid for with BC flights, I got travel insurance the day I booked. Fully expecting to lose funds if any part of it is cancelled due to war.

Was planning to visit brother in Zurich at Christmas time but holding tight for now.

I have a Gran Canaries cruise booked for March 27, it's currently under review, more so we might invest funds into the house but the war will ultimately dictate everything, nothing will happen if things start to turn very nasty.
 
Sarah Ryan said:
I got travel insurance the day I booked
Click to expand...
The only people we met who seemed to have any rights were the ATOL protected ones. They had package deals and their travel agents seemed to be getting them home. Met one Irish lady with 2 kids and a few days extra nights in the hotel were paid for and a 65 hour return journey via everywhere.

It was not entirely clear to me that ATOL had to get you back. Because I met another lady whose travel agent was useless. It made me wonder if you had to be proactive with pushing the agents.
 
All of my cruises are through my agent Click and Go so I would like to think they would assist in getting home.

But you still need to have your own insurance in place. I need to dig out my policy and read the T&C - but with my financial and insurance head on I am prepared to be left with a little less in my bank account and no tacky fridge magnet.
 
Bronte said:
- can they increase the flight after the fact, a fuel surcharge comes to mind as it happened before I think
- if they don't fly, am I actually entitled to the fare back or can they claim war/force majeure
Click to expand...
Read article in independent this morning (cant find it now), that ryanair have their fuel until nxt year @ $67 a barrel:

Saw in different article, this:


""We have about 80pc of our fuel bought forward until March of 2027 at about $67 a barrel. But the other 20pc we're now paying almost double, about $150 a barrel for that. So costs are rising."

I dont think they can charge any additional fee once the tickets are bought... You would definitely get your money back if the flight doesnt leave no matter what the reason IMO..
 
I seem to remember years ago that airlines could charge a surcharge on flights all ready paid for if fuel prices were to rise,
Don't know if it still applies today but I'm guessing going forward all airlines will be reviewing flights and prices
Bronte said:
What are the AAM guys planning this summer and has the war America started had an influence on holidays to Spain/Turkey etc
Click to expand...
Mrs C is going to Naples week after next and then we're on another Irish road trip and I'd say after that it will be a wait and see how things are
If we think it's got to expensive or too volatile we'll leave it at that for the year or maybe just do a few over night trips at home
 
Cervelo said:
I seem to remember years ago that airlines could charge a surcharge on flights all ready paid for if fuel prices were to rise,
Don't know if it still applies today but I'm guessing going forward all airlines will be reviewing flights and prices
Click to expand...
They can but Ryanair always made a virtue of not doing this for tickets already sold so unless that policy changes they are unlikely to apply fuel surcharges, whatever about increasing prices.
 
Just returned from the Far East but, luckily, dodged the chaos as we had booked with Lufthansa and KLM. Many others who had booked the same cruise, were booked with Emirates and Qatar and didn't make the cruise or made it at another port. On the return, the airlines did their best to get them into Dubai despite missile attacks!

We're not flying again until September, that's with Aer Lingus and next year, Ryanair. The Ryanair flights will, undoubtedly, be higher due to the fuel hikes. I'm hoping Aer Lingus don't surcharge the September flights.
 
Bronte said:
It's no good Ryanair having bought forward as there is no guarantee of supply
Click to expand...
I think fuel restrictions are only happening in asia now as they are most affected by straits of hormuz oil. But iran now is letting ships through to asia even if not to the west and that should relieve some of the pressure, they also need to get their oil out .
 
Last year I travelled a lot, was out of the country almost every month. This year I've made several cancellations, and only 1 trip (for a funeral), and focussed on Irish getaways. But I have booked a (free with Aer credit card apart from taxes) trip to Spain In September, hoping life will be more predictable by then.
I never expect and have never received anything from insurance despite claiming, though I have it just in case.
 
joe sod said:
But iran now is letting ships through to asia
Click to expand...
There's a bigger issue than that, because Iran targeted oil wells and other connected infrastructure, it takes a month to two to get supply going again. We don't know the actual damage though, nor how long that will take to rebuild, so there is a whole heap of different problems.

But my question is more about if we have the right to refunds if the flights don't go due to a force majeure. I've realised that we don't actually have concrete knowledge of this. To be honest it's not going to affect me to lose a couple of flight to Dublin, I just stay at home. But I don't want to book say a hotel in Spain or a villa in Italy if there is a chance I can't get there. Knowing my rights, and the right to refunds, would help in making decisions.

Yes I read Simon Calder etc. But we already knew not to cancel our long haul flights and to wait it out.

www.independent.co.uk

Middle East flights crisis: The answers you need as Iran war brings travel chaos

What are the implications of flying to or through the Gulf?
www.independent.co.uk www.independent.co.uk
 
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The Indo has an article on this today:

www.independent.ie

Irish holiday-makers could face surcharges and cancellations as price of jet fuel climbs

Irish sunseekers face the prospect of package-holiday fuel surcharges, spiralling airfare costs and flight cancellations as the impact of the Iran war escalates.
www.independent.ie www.independent.ie

Turkish SunExpress has added a fuel surcharge of €10 per passenger

Air France/KLM will increase long haul by €50 per round trip

Scandinavian Airlines will cancel 1000 long haul flights.

Ryanair might cut flights from June if supply is an issue
 
This is important from the article:

Air fares cannot be hiked after a ticket has been purchased, but the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) confirmed that, under the Package Travel Directive, tour organisers can increase package prices by up to 8pc up to 20 days prior to departure if their costs increase.

The CCPC said: “The organiser can increase prices only if there is an increase in the cost of transporting passengers because of the cost of fuel or other power sources; the level of taxes, fees and charges including tourist taxes, landing taxes or embarkation or disembarkation fees at ports and airports; and exchange rates relevant to the package holiday.”

If such a surcharge is imposed, holidaymakers have the right to cancel their break with a full refund. The Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA) says no such increases have been passed on to date.
 
Anyone know of a travel insurance provider that covers flight cancellations caused by fuel shortages?
If the trip has to be abandoned, my holiday provider said I'd have to recover the cost from insurance. My VHI Multitrip policy seems to cover cancellation only in specific circumstances such as illness or job loss.
I'd imagine that comprehensive cover for cancellation will be hard to get because of the risk of fuel shortages. And ideas?
 
From the 123.ie documents.

GENERAL EXCLUSIONS APPLICABLE TO ALL SECTIONS OF THIS COVER
We will not pay for claims arising directly or indirectly from: 1. War, invasion, acts of foreign enemies, hostilities or warlike operations (whether war be declared or not), civil war, rebellion, Terrorism, revolution, insurrection, civil commotion assuming the proportions of or amounting to an uprising, military or usurped power but this exclusion shall not apply to losses under Section B – Emergency Medical and Other Expenses, Section C – Hospital Benefit and Section D – Personal Accident unless such losses are caused by nuclear, chemical or biological attack, or the disturbances were already taking place at the beginning of any Trip.

Hard to know if you would be covered, I am reading this as if you visited a country and this stuff was going on and your travel was affected.
Airlines will cancel their flights for operational reasons, ie fuel supply, if you are in a country that is not at active war, then I am not sure they could get out of not paying out on the policy?

Another part of the documents
What is not insured?
Scheduled Airline Failure Insurance (SAFI) and supplier insolvency
Your travel to a country or specific area or event to which the Travel Advice Section of the Department of Foreign Affairs or World Health Organisation have advised the public not to travel unless this advice relates only to COVID.
 
I've gone down a similar rabbit hole with VHI's T&Cs. No mention of cover if you have to abandon a holiday because your flight is cancelled for operational reasons such as fuel shortages.
This must be a big concern for anyone planning summer holidays.
 
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