Stranded Abroad? Know Your Rights.

19/04/2010


If you are one of the 150,000 Britons who are thought to be stranded abroad, it is important to know what rights you have wand what rights you do not.
 
Carrier’s Obligations
If you are prevented from travelling home, your carrier (the company who have sold you your ticket has obligations to you.
 
The specific obligations owed by air carriers can be found here.
 

Do not think that because you are delayed, your travel insurance will necessarily pick up the cost of your extra expenses. A typical policy has a clause which reads similarly to the following: ‘We shall not pay for any claims arising from the withdrawal from service temporarily or otherwise of the aircraft on the orders or recommendation of the Civil Aviation Authority or a similar body in any country’. Whilst it could be argued that this relates to the withdrawal of a specific aircraft on safety reasons, and that it would not apply in the current circumstances since the current restrictions have been are imposed by the air traffic safety authorities, rather than the CAA, the insurers will surely argue both points strongly.

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