‘To not travel with insurance these days is pretty crazy’
Supply issues could kick in in the next five to six weeks(Image: Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Ongoing conflict in the Middle East is pushing Europe towards a fuel crisis, raising serious concerns over whether summer holidays will go ahead as planned. The International Energy Agency has warned that supply issues could kick in in the next five to six weeks with the owner of British Airways commenting that flight tickets may increase in line with skyrocketing fuel costs.
The crisis has been triggered by the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz throughout the conflict, which has severely disrupted the normal distribution of energy supplies. The strait is the shipping passage for 20 per cent of the world’s fuel and has seen the costs of petrol rapidly increase since the outbreak of war, reports Manchester Evening News.
For travellers, this has led to widespread disruption, with flight prices fluctuating and passengers fearing cancellations. According to EU energy commissioner Dan Jorgensen it’s “very likely that many people’s holidays will be affected, either by flight cancellations or very, very expensive tickets”.
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If your flight is cancelled it is covered by UK law if it was set to depart or arrive at a UK airport on a UK or EU airline, or arrive at an EU airport on a UK or EU airline. Popular UK airlines Jet2, Ryanair and easyJet are all covered by this rule.
Should you be covered and your flight is cancelled, the airline you are travelling with must provide you with a refund or rebook you on an alternative flight. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) states that you are entitled to a full refund for your tickets or for any unused portions of your journey.
With return flights, if outward travel is cancelled, you are entitled to a full refund. The CAA added: “If you are a transfer passenger and you have already completed part of your journey, you are also entitled to a flight back to your original departure point when your connecting flight is cancelled and you decide not to continue your journey.”
Experts issued a £100 flight booking warning, advising passengers to pay via credit card as this provides Section 75 protection under the Consumer Credit Act, legally safeguarding purchases costing between £100 and £30,000. The situation is currently so volatile that travellers should familiarise themselves with all the cover they are entitled to, as flights may be cancelled at any moment.
Global aviation expert Geoffrey Thomas told the Daily Mail that flights could be axed at the last minute. Thomas emphasised that Europe is particularly affected, especially with regard to long haul travel.
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“Europe is more exposed at the moment than Asia is, which means trips from Australia are obviously a challenge. For airlines like Qantas, who operate the Perth to London service, at the moment, they have to fly additional distance to refuel in Singapore.
“Any airline that operates through the Middle East is also exposed if the conflict widens or the Iranians decide to resume random drone attacks. During the ongoing situation, travel specialists emphasised the critical need for travel insurance.
“To not travel with insurance these days is pretty crazy,” Dr David Beirman told the Daily Mail.
“Most policies will cover cancellation or major changes to an itinerary from a number of causes. If your airline is being difficult about a changed flight, and they’re only prepared to give you a credit or something like that, the travel insurance company will usually come to the party and help financially.”
