Advice - missed flight due to traffic

JimW75

Hi all - would really appreciate your advice..
My partner was meant to be travelling single trip to Buenos Aires on Friday - the traffic on M1 & M25 was a nightmare due to accidents and a back log of traffic - it became apparent the flight was going to be missed. The journey from Nottingham to Gatwick that day took me 5 hours.
Rang up Air Europa to discuss - they advised me the ticket was not flexible and I needed to discuss with the ticket seller.
Rang up the ticket seller Carlton Leisure and they said I could not move the ticket as I was a "no show" and the ticket was not flexible - explained the situation and they advised me that I would have to buy a new ticket.
We were too late for the flight so the next day I had to buy another ticket.
Today have contacted my partner's travel insurer annualtravelinsurance.com and they have advised me my partner has basic cover so missed flights are not covered.

Do I have any consumer rights about the flight being missed due to circumstances beyond my control?

elsien

Missed flights are usually only covered on the insurance due to problems with public transport. If you're driving and caught in a jam then a missed flight is perceived as being down to you.
And the airline are under no obligation as you accepted the non transferable terms and conditions when you booked the ticket. I think you just have to take the hit on this one.

jackieblack

It is the travellers responsibility to get to the airport on time.

This is why we always travel the night before and stay overnight at a Premier Inn/similar.
Even if you don't arrive at the hotel until very late, for the small amount this costs (relative to the cost of the trip) it's not worth the risk.

WestonDave

If airlines were made to offer refunds in your situation where they have no control over the traffic, travel costs would be much higher in the first place to cover people who used it as a cover for setting off late. Its obviously really frustrating to have been caught up like that but its certainly not the airlines fault so they can't be held responsible for it. An expensive experience but the only thing to do is to use it to consider for future trips whether to have more comprehensive travel insurance and or fail safe travel plans.

Caz3121

you may be able to claim back some of the airport taxes from the airline less a fee they may apply
Agree you probably just need to chalk this one up to experience

melb

that's a good helpful piece of advice - let's hope their admin fees are not prohibitive. What a bummer for the OP though there's some things you just can't legislate for no matter how much extra time you allow

spacey2012

Experienced travellers book at hotel within a couple of miles of the Airport and factor it in to the holiday.
You can just not rely on travelling and boarding in the same day on UK roads.
The days of clearing collisions up quickly and getting the road open as the priority have been replaced with police accident investigations so they can charge it to the insurance.

Alan_Bowen

Some insurance policies do have cover for missed flights but they are expensive and you need to show you have left plenty of time to get to the airport. I am a regular on the M1 to Sheffield from North London and I would have left a lot more than 5 hours, and it seems you left even less, to get a 'non missable' flight. I allow one and a half hours for North London to Gatwick alone and on your route I would normally take the M42/M40 which misses the northern part of the M25 which can be very congested at any time of the say. As others have said, reclaim the taxes and learn from this mistake

lisyloo

though there's some things you just can't legislate for no matter how much extra time you allow

You can cover off MOST travel delays and/or breakdown by leaving plenty of time (if necessary the day before and hotel overnight).
Breakdown policies often include "onward travel" so even if you car is not repairable or you're in an accident you would be able to travel - but you need to make sure you get the right policy and not a minimal cheapo one (the cover you need is "onward travel").

Personally I would like to see people who are at fault for collisions (not genuine accidents of which there are very few), compensate everyone they delay. Not practical though.

jacques_chirac

spacey2012 wrote: »

Experienced travellers book at hotel within a couple of miles of the Airport and factor it in to the holiday.
You can just not rely on travelling and boarding in the same day on UK roads.
The days of clearing collisions up quickly and getting the road open as the priority have been replaced with police accident investigations so they can charge it to the insurance.

I am what you would class as an experienced traveller and I have never stayed overnight at an airport hotel. As others have said, you just need to give yourself plenty of time to get there, and five hours from Nottingham to LGW is not adequate.

poor_johno

jacques_chirac wrote: »

five hours from Nottingham to LGW is not adequate.

I'd agree with that