Travel cover quiz on BA strike

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) said travellers who booked BA flights after Unite union’s strike vote on Monday had a “reasonable expectation” of disruption, and will not be covered, The Daily Mail reports.

The Telegraph said travel insurance was “complicated”. It said: “You can claim abandonment of your holiday and the consequential loss, if you can prove that you have been delayed by 12 hours or more.

“But your insurer will need a letter from the airline confirming that the cancellation involves such a delay, and it is likely only to consider cancellations which have been made at short notice.

“And obviously it will only apply if you bought the insurance (and the travel arrangements) before you knew about the strikes.

Small print

The Guardian said: “You need to check the small print, as not all standard policies cover flight delays and cancellations caused by industrial action. Those that do rely on a muddled array of factors, including the type of strike and when the policy was issued.

“If BA cancels the flight you may be able to claim back the cost of a new flight, and in some cases the cost of the whole holiday. Before you book a new flight check that your insurer will cover any difference in the cost. But if you decide to cancel your holiday it is unlikely your policy will cover you.