Expedia woes

ijinlebambam

Hello all. i would appreciate urgent advice on a sticky situation.
I paid for a flight and hotel booking to Miami on Expedia's UK website in Sept. My passport and that of my girlfriend were stolen last week. We are due to fly out next week but cannot get replacement passports in time. Expedia are refusing to change dates saying the airline (Virgin) say the booking is non chageable. The non changeability restriction is not explicitly stated in our booking terms and conditions. Terms clearly state booking is non refundable but if changes required Expedia will try their best but no guarantees. Pursuing arbitration but reckon it's a lost cause. Alternatively Expedia out of the kindness of their hearts have offered to repay the tax on our payment if we cancel the booking. (Total £1400, tax £280). Thanks Expedia!! I paid for the flight but my girlfriend's name is on the itinerary. I did not have travel insurance at the time of booking or when I reported the loss of our passports. Can (a) My girlfriend claim half the cost back on her travel insurance ( She has had insurance cover throughout) (b) Will her insurers refuse to pay because I paid with my debit card (c) Can we cancel, claim the tax back but still pursue a partial claim from my girlfriend's insurers?
(d) Should I just give up and put this down to experience. Like the cliche goes "lessons have been learnt and it is time to move on"!!!

Your advice would be appreciated. ( ps: I am now insured to the hilt). Thanks.

KiKi

If your passports were stolen last week, you've had a week already to get new passports - they do a fast-track 1-week service; you could have had it by now!

If you don't travel until the end of next week, there's still time get an urgent replacement. Will cost you £97 each.

Sorry I can't help on the insurance front. Hope you get something sorted.