Thousands of travellers were stranded over the weekend after a major cyber attack hit most airlines, but now experts have urged people to check if they can be compensated
Travel experts have issued an urgent warning for holidaymakers to check their travel insurance policies. It comes just after the chaos that unfolded over the weekend as airlines were grounded due to a cyber attack.
Airports such as London Heathrow, Dublin and Brussels were severely hit by the attack that affected an electronic check-in and baggage system. As a result, several flights were delayed or even cancelled due to the fallout as airline staff had to manually check people in.
It is believed the chaos first was first spotted at Brussels Airport on Friday night (September 19), with the issue soon spreading to other hubs including Berlin’s own Brandenburg Airport. The company behind the Collins Aerospace software that was targeted said it was “aware of a cyber-related disruption”, and was doing what it could fix the issue.
Passengers would later be stranded again on Sunday (September 21), as the knock-on effect of the major disruption could be felt for hours afterwards. However, as delays begin to die down, experts are now calling for travellers to check their insurance policies to make sure they are eligible for compensation.
Niraj Mamtora, Director at Forum Insurance, said: “Standard travel insurance policies often exclude airspace disruptions, so you should never assume that you’re covered for events like strikes, airport closures or air traffic control outages. To protect yourself, look for a policy that offers ‘travel disruption’ or ‘airspace closure’ as an optional extra or higher-tier feature.”
She added the disruption upgrade can allow for the protection of passengers from last-minute stumbling blocks, including strikes and airspace closures. On top of this, having this level of insurance can ensure those trying to travel can be properly compensated, potentially reimbursing passengers for “unused travel and accommodation, enforced stays abroad, or extra expense”.
However, Niraj warned people to check the wording of their insurance policy carefully as some brokers will stipulate specific conditions on which they will pay out on. Niraj added that travelling anyway despite official advice, travellers may not be covered.
If passengers have already booked their flights, they may not know whether they are already covered for travel disruption within their policies. In response, Niraj pleaded with people to check the policies they currently have carefully, as some schemes can have limited protection already built in.
“If your policy doesn’t include this, contact your airline or travel provider directly,” Niraj added. “Airlines are often obliged to offer rebooking, refunds, or care such as meals and accommodation; package holiday providers may also be responsible for rearranging your travel or offering compensation.
“For future trips, consider adding ‘travel disruption’ or ‘airspace closure’ cover as an optional extra,” he continued. “It’s a small investment that can save you significant stress and cost if the unexpected happens again.”
Following the cyber attack, airlines are starting to work as normal on Monday (September 22). However, airlines are asking passengers to arrive to the airport early to factor in any delays in the check-in process.
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