Flight cancellation and trip insurance

[wild_turkey 3180]

We recently went to Croatia, booked flights through AMEX travel portal on United. Knowing how crazy everything has been with Covid and travel, I bought the AMEX trip insurance for the flights.

Flight there was fine. Flight home got cancelled 3.5 hours before the flight due to United having limited crew availability. United informed me via text message with no options for rebooking. I immediately called AMEX (the travel number, not the insurance because I forgot about it) and they agreed to petition United for a partial refund for the return flights. The partial refund was about 35% of the total expense. Seems like it should've been 50% given than I only flew half way, but I realize there's probably a behind-the-scenes pricing breakdown that isn't always an even split.

I then had to purchase new flights on KLM the same day. Those flights were more expensive (booking an international flight the day of travel) but at least I got home. I booked it through AMEX at the same time they were cancelling my United flight, so I was basically out the difference.

I then got home and remembered I had bought the AMEX trip insurance, but when I try to file a claim, they say flight cancellations are only covered if the flight is cancelled due to weather. In my case, the flight crew was unavailable and that's not a covered expense.

Do I have any recourse here with AMEX or United Airlines? Or is the take home lesson that airlines suck right now and expect to have unexpected expenses and expect trip insurance to be mostly worthless?

[Bateshorn 9928]

I’ve always been under the impression travel insurance never pays out.  But that’s just the idle talk I’ve heard over the years. 

[Gil Bang 25987]

1 hour ago, wild_turkey said:

We recently went to Croatia, booked flights through AMEX travel portal on United. Knowing how crazy everything has been with Covid and travel, I bought the AMEX trip insurance for the flights.

Flight there was fine. Flight home got cancelled 3.5 hours before the flight due to United having limited crew availability. United informed me via text message with no options for. I immediately called AMEX (the travel number, not the insurance because I forgot about it) and they agreed to petition United for a partial refund for the return flights. The partial refund was about 35% of the total expense. Seems like it should've been 50% given than I only flew half way, but I realize there's probably a behind-the-scenes pricing breakdown that isn't always an even split.

I then had to purchase new flights on KLM the same day. Those flights were more expensive (booking an international flight the day of travel) but at least I got home. I booked it through AMEX at the same time they were cancelling my United flight, so I was basically out the difference.

I then got home and remembered I had bought the AMEX trip insurance, but when I try to file a claim, they say flight cancellations are only covered if the flight is cancelled due to weather. In my case, the flight crew was unavailable and that's not a covered expense.

Do I have any recourse here with AMEX or United Airlines? Or is the take home lesson that airlines suck right now and expect to have unexpected expenses and expect trip insurance to be mostly worthless?

Yeah, you fucked up. If anything, you should have rebooked immediately on United, and then fought over the refund when you got home. 

 

[wild_turkey 3180]

Yeah, you fucked up. If anything, you should have rebooked immediately on United, and then fought over the refund when you got home. 
 

That wasn’t an option. United only had one flight per day which they canceled. Best case scenario I would’ve flown home the following day (assuming it didn’t also get canceled) and I needed to get home for work. Missing a day of work costs more than the flights.

[Gil Bang 25987]

A little off topic, but you were flying home from Croatia and had to be at work the next day? 

Shit man, when I fly international, I give myself a couple of days to recover. 

[Telegraph_it 3359]

Yea travel insurance is a complete waste. Anyway most reward cards cover delayed flights over X hours and cancellations with up to $500 or so reimbursed for hotel cost per day. 
 

If you absolutely need to get home the day you are supposed to leave then it’s on you unfortunately. 
 

The refund for one leg never works out in your favor. 

[wild_turkey 3180]

A little off topic, but you were flying home from Croatia and had to be at work the next day? 
Shit man, when I fly international, I give myself a couple of days to recover. 

Normally I prefer a recovery day as well. This was kind of an exception.

[wild_turkey 3180]

If you absolutely need to get home the day you are supposed to leave then it’s on you unfortunately.

If that’s what it boils down to, then I’m ok with that outcome. I generally expect some degree of unforeseen expenses when traveling, but just wanted to make sure I’m not leaving money on the table by eating that cost.

[Chewbacca 7781]

Normally I prefer a recovery day as well. This was kind of an exception.

I'd probably reconsider that exception policy.

[Telegraph_it 3359]

5 minutes ago, wild_turkey said:

 

If that’s what it boils down to, then I’m ok with that outcome. I generally expect some degree of unforeseen expenses when traveling, but just wanted to make sure I’m not leaving money on the table by eating that cost.

 

That’s been my experience. If I bought another ticket on another airline I never got any money back. 
 

I’m sure there is someone somewhere who did but I’ve never seen it or had any luck. 
 

I’d get work to pay 😉

[Surly Bevo 25111]

Pics of hot Croatian women?

[TornACL 7722]

Isn't KLM in Star Alliance with United? Seems like they could have booked you on KLM without you having to wait an entire day for the next UA flight. Or without you having to do it yourself and pay out of pocket. 

Edit: Guess I had my alliances mixed up. Still, it's weird they didn't offer you a flight on one of their partners. 

 

Edited July 27, 2021 by TornACL

[Sam Lin 3560]

It's like pulling teeth to get an airline to book you on another airline, even within the same alliance. That said, in this case there just may not have been many flight options at all, any airline.

[FartingMonk 3608]

Hmmmm....usually United will cover everything but weather. 

[C-Man 27247]

24 minutes ago, FartingMonk said:

Hmmmm....usually United will cover everything but weather. 

Yeah, I have no experience in the travel insurance you buy through your CC company but I would guess weather would be the one peril not covered.

The travel insurance I think is worth it is the coverage you can get through Chubb or a few others that will pay what it takes basically to get you out of somewhere if you need serious medical attention while on vacation -- like say you get mauled by a leopard while on safari in Africa.

[mchookem 16358]

On 7/26/2021 at 8:26 PM, Bateshorn said:

I’ve always been under the impression travel insurance never pays out.  But that’s just the idle talk I’ve heard over the years. 

yeah, i never buy the travel insurance, just spring for the tickets that are changeable. 

that being said...i AM getting nervous about USVI trip planned for mid-September...just in general. more concerned about covid restrictions than a hurricane bumping our plans. 

[kevwun 15840]

I am glad we got our trips done for the year.  I think we are done flying, internationally at least, until this is over.  It is a beating between flight changes/delays, dealing with all the restrictions and keeping up with the latest testing requirements.

Edited July 28, 2021 by kevwun

[conVINCEd 21469]

On 7/27/2021 at 12:21 AM, C-Man said:

Yeah, I have no experience in the travel insurance you buy through your CC company but I would guess weather would be the one peril not covered.

The travel insurance I think is worth it is the coverage you can get through Chubb or a few others that will pay what it takes basically to get you out of somewhere if you need serious medical attention while on vacation -- like say you get mauled by a leopard while on safari in Africa.

The only time I have purchased it is for the leopard scenario. I just roll with what the CCs provide for any other standard tourist trips.  

[wild_turkey 3180]

yeah, i never buy the travel insurance, just spring for the tickets that are changeable. 

Normally I don’t either because my credit card has decent travel insurance. I thought in this case it might be good to have an extra layer of coverage, but I guess that was a waste of money. Oh well, lesson learned.

[Landomatic 3813]

Had to book kind of an emergency trip to Eugene, OR on AA this week. Against my better judgement, bought the trip insurance for the extra $100 (or so) which I've never got before. The language wasn't very clear on what all it covered and didn't cover, unless I wanted to keep drilling, which I didn't feel like fucking with. Hoping I don't have to report back to this thread to let y'all know how worked (or didn't work).

/probable sucker

[TwiceHorn 31519]

I had a flight on Spirit canceled due to weather while I was standing at the gate.  I got a cheapass ticket to a CLE out of town as just a boondoggle.

To their credit, they opened a counter at the gate to rebook or issue refunds, right fucking there.  And the refund was half the round trip, as it should have been, and I kept the return flight.

While I was standing in line for the refund, I booked an AA flight cheap, departing in like an hour.

The Spirit flight coming back was a lot better than the AA flight out.

/csb

[52-80 19222]

* even if united canceled their flight and it was the only/last one of the day, they are on the hook for all reaccomodation (hotel, expenses, rebooking on their own network or even a competitor). you needed to contact them directly — ideally in person at the ticketing or checkin counter — and demand it. 
 

* because the trip flies to/from EU, they are on the hook legally. there is a common directive called EC261 that require them to pay you for delays or cancellations basically for ANY REASON. and especially for a long distance trip, they owe you BIGLY. 
 

first step is to contact them directly and invoke the law, but if you want to make it easy there are lots of online services that will do it on your behalf for a 25% cut just google it

 

the additionally purchases travel insurance rarely provides good tangible benefits on top of what you get from a good credit card like amex. the “cancellation” feature they tout is if you yourself cancel a trip due to certain exceptional circumstances. but they are good for medical coverage if you dont have an international health policy. 

[Chopper 17243]

Travelex has trip cancellation coverage that can also act as your primary medical coverage on an int'l trip. They have a "cancel for any reason" option that they had suspended during the initial pandemic but are bringing back now. They also cover medical evac including for covid.

But if you're going to be someplace remote and/or that has inadequate medical care, look into Medjet.

Also for OP, the credit card to which you charged your ticket may offer some additional coverage.

I've always relied on my existing medical coverage, purchase mostly refundable or changeable flights & hotels, and Medjet when I've gone to countries with iffy medical facilities. Medjet sells annual policies so it's good for more than just a single trip.

 

Edited July 31, 2021 by Chopper