Flights to Doha

halo1

Hi all,

We (family of 4) are booked to fly to Thailand with Qatar Airways via Doha in July.
Does anyone with experience or knowledge have any advice? Clearly, if things stay the same we can’t transit through Doha as our insurance would be void.
At the moment it’s too early to take action but I’m wondering at what point will it become necessary to start making alternative arrangements? At the moment Qatar are saying only ‘impacted’ flights are allowed a refund. What constitutes an impacted flight? Also, am concerned my insurance (Allianz via Halifax bank) will try to use the war exception if I make a claim.

I suppose my last choice would be a section 75 claim.

Any advice appreciated.

Ayr_Rage

If the flight goes ahead you do not have any right to a Section 75 claim if you decide not to travel.

MattMattMattUK

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6667614/flights-to-doha

Your claim is against the airline, impacted means the flight is against government advice, which it is not as it is in July not now. Airlines often cancel 7-14 days before if they flight is unable to proceed but if the flight is able to fly and advice is against you travelling that often requires the flight to leave before they refund.

As to whether you would be covered by your insurance that depends on the policy but also whether you took out the policy and booked the flights before or after the guidance was changed, before you may be covered, after to either and you will not be covered.

S75 does not apply here, at least not in the way you think it does.

halo1

Thanks.
Flights were booked before conflict was a known event.

On chat Allianz suggested our flights to Thailand via Doha wouldn’t be covered because of FCDO but the Thai portion would which seems odd.

I guess I thought a last resort would be to use the frustrated contract argument with S75.

MattMattMattUK

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81993168#Comment_81993168

That seems a slightly odd wording. Were both the flights booked before 28th Feb and was the insurance taken out before the 28th Feb? Note that even then you might still not be covered as a lot of policies have an exclusion for war.

Was it a package or separate flights?

Again, S75 is not going to get you out of this one, the rules around flights are very specific and airlines almost always follow them to the letter, especially around things like this. Ultimately you are going to have to wait until closer to, or even on/after the date of travel.

silvercar

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81993156#Comment_81993156

I disagree. If Qatar are flying and the flight goes ahead, the airline has no obligation to refund or re-route you. You’ll have to speak to your insurer and see if (a) they will cover you, some will cover people transiting an airport in a country on the FCDO provided you are only staying airside and transiting or (b) the insurer will pay for a re-route or refund. If your insurer won’t cover you, you could try to see if you could get cover elsewhere, or ask your insurer if they will cover the rest of your holiday excluding the flight.

user1977

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81993168#Comment_81993168

the contract isn’t frustrated by you being disinclined to board the flight.

halo1

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81993252#Comment_81993252

Flights booked via travel agent separate to hotels at beginning of February. Insurance is via Halifax Bank Ultimate Reward Account. Has been in place for years.

Am resigned to waiting but just wondered if there was a window, say 3-4 weeks before where I could expect the airline to recognise that travel is not viable due to government restrictions.

We also have an airbnb booking that we can get a full refund on if we cancel by 20th June so this is also fuelling the debate.

I’ll have to see what the situation is mid June.

eskbanker

Flights booked via travel agent separate to hotels at beginning of February

In itself this nullifies any potential to claim via s75…

halo1

I think I’ve definitely given the impression that I thought the S75 is a long shot.
I suppose I was hoping someone might offer a glimmer of hope.

silvercar

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81993741#Comment_81993741

Best option is to work with your travel agent to re route your flights via somewhere outside the Middle East. Friends did this a few weeks ago. Their choice was to fly via Doha and not be insured for the flights (but their insurer said they would be insured for the holiday), cancel for whatever they could get back on the holiday and flight costs and lose their holiday, or pay extra to change their flights to a safer route.