Flight cancellation claim when airline refuses to give reason

spiritus

We've been knocked back by our travel insurance for a flight cancellation some months ago.

They have asked us to provide a reason for the cancellation but unfortunately our airline refuse to give us a reason (citing airline policy).

I'm presuming it's not unusual for airline to avoid giving an exact reason for cancellations so I'm wondering if our travel insurance company are just using this as a handy excuse not to pay out.

Is it worth pursuing ?

Quentin

Whenever you are not happy with your insurer the route to go down is a formal complaint in line with their complaints procedure


Then if you are not happy with their reply or they ignore you for 8 weeks you can escalate to the FOS for their adjudication all at no cost to you

spiritus

Quentin wrote: »

Whenever you are not happy with your insurer the route to go down is a formal complaint in line with their complaints procedure


Then if you are not happy with their reply or they ignore you for 8 weeks you can escalate to the FOS for their adjudication all at no cost to you

Thank you but I am looking for objective advice as I am obviously biased

Is there a case worth pursuing or is it reasonable that if an airline doesn't give a reason for cancellation or delay then the insurer can't pay out as they cannot verify if the cancellation or delay falls within their covered terms and conditions ?

Quentin

Won't cost you anything to do the complaint!

Your argument is concerning the rejected claim rather than the airline's behaviour

But don't leave it too long (there are timescales involved)

agrinnall

I've never heard of an airline not giving a reason for cancellation, although the reason may be as meaningless as something like "operational reasons". Presumably they can confirm that the flight was indeed cancelled, so I'm not sure why your insurer would want to know anything more than that anyway.

uk1

spiritus wrote: »

I'm presuming it's not unusual for airline to avoid giving an exact reason for cancellations so I'm wondering if our travel insurance company are just using this as a handy excuse not to pay out.

Is it worth pursuing ?

Yes, but this is what you should do.

Your insurer is being perfectly reasonable in asking you this question because it is asking because you would have been entitled to be compensated under European Passenger Rights Regulation EC 261/04 for the cancellation unless the delay was sufficiently far ahead or if short notice and it was considered to be outside of the airlines control. If you were entitled to compensation they would expect you to claim and to declare to them what you were compensated. The amount of compensation and reimbursements the airline should have provided depends on how much notice you were given and whether you were at the airport etc.

So, your first action should be to presume that you are entitled to compensation and to claim under EU261/0. You will receive a prompt reply either acknowledging your entitlement or providing the detailed reason why you are not entitled to compensation ie the reasons that were outside the airlines control. So with that reply you can then claim on your insurance.

Good Luck.

lisyloo

agrinnall wrote: »

I've never heard of an airline not giving a reason for cancellation, although the reason may be as meaningless as something like "operational reasons". Presumably they can confirm that the flight was indeed cancelled, so I'm not sure why your insurer would want to know anything more than that anyway.

Aren’t certain events exluded - strikes for example.
Natural disaster tends to be an option these day so may or may not be covered.

spiritus

uk1 wrote: »

Yes, but this is what you should do.

Your insurer is being perfectly reasonable in asking you this question because it is asking because you would have been entitled to be compensated under European Passenger Rights Regulation EC 261/04 for the cancellation unless the delay was sufficiently far ahead or if short notice and it was considered to be outside of the airlines control. If you were entitled to compensation they would expect you to claim and to declare to them what you were compensated. The amount of compensation and reimbursements the airline should have provided depends on how much notice you were given and whether you were at the airport etc.

So, your first action should be to presume that you are entitled to compensation and to claim under EU261/0. You will receive a prompt reply either acknowledging your entitlement or providing the detailed reason why you are not entitled to compensation ie the reasons that were outside the airlines control. So with that reply you can then claim on your insurance.

Good Luck.

The airline will compensate us. I think I am being a tad greedy in considering whether to pursue a separate claim with our travel insurance policy.

I have furnished the travel insurance company with emails from the airline confirming the cancellation and also advising me that they cannot give me a specific reason for the cancellation as it is against the airline's policy.

BoGoF

You're not being a tad greedy.....you're being very greedy.

agrinnall

lisyloo wrote: »

Aren’t certain events exluded - strikes for example.
Natural disaster tends to be an option these day so may or may not be covered.

Fair point. Perhaps if the OP gave us details of the flight that was cancelled then someone may be able to determine if something was happening that was outside the airline's control.

spiritus

BoGoF wrote: »

You're not being a tad greedy.....you're being very greedy.

But not dishonest. We have made the travel insurance company aware that the airline will pay out compensation and they said that has no bearing on their decision.

If we qualify then by the terms of the insurance policy they would have to pay us also.