Missed flight due to cruise terminal problems

Gulliverstravels

I used Travel Up to buy my return flight to Buenos Aires from uk in December with my credit card.  My flight was with Iberia.  From Buenos Aires I went on a cruise with MSC.  I requested a transfer from ship to port on day of disembarkation, in writing. MSC mislaid my transfer request which I did not find out about until the day before disembarking.  They said there was nothing they could do but that I would be able to get a taxi from the terminal.  On the day of disembarking there was a delay in people getting off the ship but not massively.  At the Port the Port lays on a shuttle bus from ship to terminal.  That was very good and no problems.  Once at the terminal tho there were massive queues, no info. No alternative but to join a queue.  It took a very long time get get through.  It was utter chaos.  Not just one queue but several and only one exit which was very very slow.  By the time I got out of the terminal it was impossible to get a taxi as the build up in the terminal caused a build up outside.  It was a complete nightmare.  I eventually got a taxi and by this time there was a lot of traffic.  I got to the airport and missed my flight even though it was still on the board as boarding but the Iberia desks were closed and no one was there.  I called Travel Up but they said they could not help me.  I eventually booked and paid for a later flight with Iberia.  There are obviously a lot of lessons to be learned from this but I do have to say that I have travelled to many countries and never have I experienced the utter chaos at the Buenos Aires Cruise Terminal.  I have never missed a flight.  Is there any way I can get my extra costs back?

BoGoF

Claim on your insurance?

cymruchris

As above - what travel insurance policy did you take out - and does it cover these circumstances?

Other than valid travel insurance - I can't see you getting anything back - but no doubt have learnt a few lessons along the way. 

daveyjp

You may be eligible for missed departure under insurance, but that is generally provided for unforeseen events.

How long was there between docking and the flight?  If you have evidence that the time you left was greater than the minimum time advised by the cruise company, or docking was delayed I'd submit a claim.

Bicycleman22

Generally most if not all insurance companies will want to see evidence of pre booked transport to the airport. This would have to be within a certain timeframe decided by the policy.

Voyager2002

Bicycleman22 said:

Generally most if not all insurance companies will want to see evidence of pre booked transport to the airport. This would have to be within a certain timeframe decided by the policy.

The OP has evidence of booking the transfer with MSC. The fact that he found out the day before that his booking had failed is probably not relevant.

Voyager2002

Gulliverstravels said:

I used Travel Up to buy my return flight to Buenos Aires from uk in December with my credit card.  My flight was with Iberia.  From Buenos Aires I went on a cruise with MSC.  I requested a transfer from ship to port on day of disembarkation, in writing. MSC mislaid my transfer request which I did not find out about until the day before disembarking.  They said there was nothing they could do but that I would be able to get a taxi from the terminal.  On the day of disembarking there was a delay in people getting off the ship but not massively.  At the Port the Port lays on a shuttle bus from ship to terminal.  That was very good and no problems.  Once at the terminal tho there were massive queues, no info. No alternative but to join a queue.  It took a very long time get get through.  It was utter chaos.  Not just one queue but several and only one exit which was very very slow.  By the time I got out of the terminal it was impossible to get a taxi as the build up in the terminal caused a build up outside.  It was a complete nightmare.  I eventually got a taxi and by this time there was a lot of traffic.  I got to the airport and missed my flight even though it was still on the board as boarding but the Iberia desks were closed and no one was there.  I called Travel Up but they said they could not help me.  I eventually booked and paid for a later flight with Iberia.  There are obviously a lot of lessons to be learned from this but I do have to say that I have travelled to many countries and never have I experienced the utter chaos at the Buenos Aires Cruise Terminal.  I have never missed a flight.  Is there any way I can get my extra costs back?

How did you pay MSC? 

I presume that MSC operated the cruise as well as proving (or not providing) your transfer. They owed you a "duty of care": providing the transfer that you booked or at least telling you in a timely manner that it would not be available. They therefore have some liability for the losses you suffered because they let you down. If you paid them by credit card then this liability applies equally to your card provider.

See if you can get a free 30-minute appointment with a solicitor to discuss this: the precise words you use when describing this could be important.

Bicycleman22

Requesting and booking may be differant. I can request a price of a transfer taxi but until I book it they have no obligation to me  whatsoever. I am not saying this is relevant here as I dont know the circumstances. I am saying that requesting and not receiving a response is not booking but it might be negligent.

Hoenir

Gulliverstravels said:

There are obviously a lot of lessons to be learned from this but I do have to say that I have travelled to many countries and never have I experienced the utter chaos at the Buenos Aires Cruise Terminal. 

Nothing to do with the Cruise Line though. 

eskbanker

Gulliverstravels said:

I requested a transfer from ship to port on day of disembarkation

Just to be clear, was that intended to cover the journey from the terminal to the airport, i.e. in lieu of joining the taxi queue, or should it have somehow avoided the terminal (and its delays) altogether?  I presume it's the former, given the need for customs and immigration formalities, but when trying to construct a claim, it'll be important to accurately establish how much delay was actually caused by the cruise company's failure to process the transfer request, i.e. if the long time to get through the terminal would have happened anyway....

Gulliverstravels

BoGoF said:

Claim on your insurance?

Apparently my insurance does not cover this type of problem