What To Do If Your Flight is Cancelled or Delayed

When making travel plans for your next vacation, you should be prepared for the unexpected. No trip is ever perfect and flights are occasionally canceled or delayed for reasons beyond our control. If for some reason your flight is cancelled or delayed, you may be entitled to compensation from the airline or your insurance company so you will not be out the money you spent.

In the EU, if your flight is delayed more than 3 hours the airline should compensate you for the time you spend waiting and any expenses you incurred. You a legally due compensation if you were flying into or out from Ireland or any country in the European Union. You could receive up to £532 in compensation depending on the length and duration of the disruption.

No Coverage for Things Outside the Airline Control

The EU regulations allow compensation for delays, cancellations, and otherwise disrupted travel. But it has deemed that airlines cannot be held responsible for things that are outside of their control such as severe weather, mechanical issues, air traffic delays or airline strikes. Last year thousands of flights were canceled when employees of Ryanair staged a 24-hour walkout.

Strikes are, unfortunately, out of the control of the airline and although you cannot be compensated by a monetary award, you should be offered food and refreshments until the airline can find alternative transportation for you.

Does Travel Insurance Cover Cancellations?

Even though you can’t be compensated by the airline, you still may be able to recover your costs through your Insurance Company If your flight is canceled for any of the reason mentioned. The compensation will be equal to the amount agreed on under the policy. Cheaper coverage often will not cover delayed or missed departures. However, more comprehensive travel insurance policy from theaa.ie can insure you for all out of delayed or record bags, delayed flights and may refund you for a vacation you are not able to continue.

If an airport, road, rail service, or tunnel is closed for an extended period or if public transport is down, you may be eligible to make an insurance claim to recover your costs. Some travel policies may also partly reimburse you even if you caused the delay.

What If I Need to Cancel a Flight?

An unexpected event has occurred and I need to cancel my seat on the flight. Is this covered?

Your travel insurance may cover you if you need to cancel a flight due to events like these:

• If you have been burglarized and the police request you to remain at home so they can conduct an investigation, or because of damage caused by fire or flood.
• Emergency service workers like police, firefighters, nurses, or ambulance techs, armed forces, or Government employees no longer able to travel because authorization has been canceled.
• The sudden illness of you, your traveling companion, the person you were going to stay with during your trip, or a close relative.
• You have a court appearance or are scheduled for jury service
• If you are traveling for a job in another country and the position is no longer available.

Where should I File a Claim?

Your first step in seeking compensation for delays and disruption should be the airlines. If the flight is canceled and no attempt is made to re-route you or re-book at a different time, they are required to compensate you.

Your travel insurance policy could also reimburse you for additional expenses that were incurred because of the delays.  You can be reimbursed for food, transportation, and hotel accommodations.

Travel insurance can help you recover your costs when the airline won’t. However, you can’t purchase travel disruption coverage after the fact. It is like closing the barn door after the horse ran away, it does you no good. So, if you do not currently have travel disruption cover, call your insurance representative and ask to have it added to your policy. It may take a week or more to take effect, so be sure to add it before the next time you plan to travel.