Can I do anything about this? (Travel Insurance related)

Waxy_Bean

My partner and I are due to be flying to New York on 2 November.

Earlier in the summer we booked flights for 2 Nov (outbound) and 7 Nov (return) with Zoom as they flew from Gatwick, which is most convenient for us, and because they were cheapest £450 odd for the pair of us, both ways including tax.

We at the same time booked 4 nights hotel accomodation. We had problems finding a hotel as we managed to book the weekend of the NY marathon (doh!) but were happy to splash out on a 5 star hotel which had rooms free. The booking is, however, non-refundable. We didn't think this was a problem as we had the flights all booked and paid for.

My partner was away for the weekend and came back to work today to find a message from Zoom saying that they are no longer able to offer us flights on the 7th as they can't get airport spaces. They offered us flights for the 6th or the 8th as an alternative.

I spoke to my travel insurance company (Halifax - annual worldwide policy) who said they were unable to help (either in an additional nights accomodation, refunding the night we wouldn't use or in finding alternative flights for the 7th) as the airline was at fault and that I should be pursuing compensation with Zoom. I've since spoken to Zoom and they are unable to offer any compensation as they won't take responsibility for onward travel and accomodation.

So we're now stuck in the situation where we lose out whatever we do (i) go home on the 8th and book another night in the hotel for £230 (we don't want to move hotels for the final night) (ii) go home on the 6th and not use a night in the hotel that we have already paid for (approx £200) (iii) find alternative flights for the 7th - the cheapest we have found would be another £240 and would involve a stop over in Dublin. So given that they are all roughly the same cost we've decided to go with (i) and stay an extra night.

Phew - congratulations if you've got this far. But what I really want to know is, do I have a case for pushing this with the travel insurance company? I've only got a fairly standard policy and I can't see anything to cover this, but I would have hoped that this sort of situation would be covered.

Help anyone? Please?

luckyjasond

I was due to fly to New York with them on the 14th November and just got an e-mail from them today that I should call them urgently, which I did, but all I get some recorded options. I logged in to my account and noticed that they changed my flight to the 15th. I'm not happy about this at all. Hopefuly still can change my booked accomodation. I'm due to come back on the 19th and it looks like I can't even change that to 20th as they won't have a return flight until the 22nd. I hope I will get through to them on the phone some point, but don't think it will change anything. Not pleased!

olly300

You guys what are the terms and conditions in your contract with Zoom? I don't see how it can be the insurance company, yours or anyone elses fault except Zooms.

Depending on the T&C it could be Zoom who you need to threaten with or actually take to the court (they are registered in Scotland so you will have to read up on Scottish Law) to pay the extra hotel accommodation costs.

I suggest you read the T&C before deciding to do anything and get in touch with consumer direct for advice and WatchDog to advertise how bad this airline is.

Edit: Just looked at the T&C on their website they basically say they can change the flights or schedules if they want. Scotland does have an Unfair Contracts Law covering consumers as well so the terms could be unfair. I suggest you guys write to the media as I think lots of people are going to suffer this problem, and get legal advice on how to proceed. (Trading Standards Scotland http://www.scotss.org.uk/pages/contacts.htm )

Waxy_Bean

Thanks Olly - I hadn't thought about going to the media but will now contact watchdog (and hope that they don't pick me as a case study).

I'm slightly less stressed about it now as come to think about it, I have a £50 excess so would only have got £150 back between us, and instead we've got an extra night in NYC.

But the miseries at Zoom wouldn't upgrade us on the rebooked flight as it was against policy. If they weren't so cheap I'd have told them where to stick it!!

luckyjasond

There is an other thread started about this issue

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=6513134&posted=1#post6513134