Insurance for missed connections on separate tickets?

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JohnK said:
I have comprehensive travel insurance [...] It is frightening that I could miss a 4 hour connection in LHR and then be held responsible for the missed connection.
Exactly. Your only saving grace is that it's the same carrier, so they might be nice to you even if the second flight is NONREF NONCHG.

There is a wide enough range of insurance policy pricing out there that it is distinctly odd that standard Australian policies seem to, perhaps universally, fail to cover this. NM, for all the discussion of liabilities and cost, 'managing risks' personally is not something that most insured consumers understand. The potential increase in premiums notwithstanding, most insurers and retailers promote travel insurance as cover for the typical important eventualities -- it could quite reasonably be argued that the missed connection issue is a pretty major aspect of travel, perhaps more important than spending money for delays, high baggage value, etc etc.
 
NM said:
If you want the carriers of insurance companies to wear the risk, then expect to pay for that benefit. If you seek the lowest cost for fares and insurance, then you can also expect to carry the risk. Risk does not come free and must be budgeted in some way.
Of course, I agree, this is a reasonable assertion.


The problem developing here seems to be, that if you do not want to purchase this “insurance” as part of a “full service bundle” included in an interlined ticket, it looks difficult to purchase it separately from an insurer or as an add-on from a point to point carrier.
 
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Methinks these policies are based on the more and more outdated philosophy of the one TA booking all the travel (airfares, transfers, tours, accommodation etc) on the one itinerary.

Somehow any misconnects etc would be generally covered by the TA policies etc. so the aother insureance companies would not have to include such events in their calcualtions.
 
serfty said:
Methinks these policies are based on the more and more outdated philosophy...
One great effect of unbundling this insurance, to become an "add-on product", is that it would improve industry on-time performance.

In the future, the insurance company could ask (once confirmed your routing is within MCT) what airlines you are travelling with. The quote would then be processed, and premium based on the likelihood of the carrier not performing to schedule. (High premiums would impact on people’s choice of low performing airlines.)
 
serfty said:
Methinks these policies are based on the more and more outdated philosophy of the one TA booking all the travel (airfares, transfers, tours, accommodation etc) on the one itinerary.
My reading of current policy wordings would indicate that the transfers, tours and accommodation mentioned would also not be covered unless they formed part of a purchased package (where the tour/package company bears most of the liability). Just buying these as separate services in one go from a TA would not appear to afford any cover from your travel insurance.
 
With regards to my concerns with having enough time in Sydney to connect to Hawaiin Airlines flight to HNL (1hr 45min) I asked my TA and this is his reply:
rang Hawaiin Airlines about this and spoke to Cathy who advised that 1 hour 45 was enough time and inside minimum connection.

So if you don't make the flight the airline will do what it can to accommodate you.



So I wonder what "accommodate" means:eek: . Should I ask?
 
aussiecruisers said:
So I wonder what "accommodate" means:eek: . Should I ask?

Could really mean anything. It's well open to interpretation. You may want to ask.

It could range from things like you being accomodated on a bench at the airport while they work out how much your fare needs to be recalculated by, only charging you a small penalty fee instead of losing your fare to go the next day, being put on the next day's flights (you pay for accom), being put on the next day's flight (they pay for accom), being re-routed to Jetstar or Qantas or Air Canada, being re-routed through LA with Qantas etc etc etc.

Lots of different ways. Also keep in mind possible hotel bookings - ie can you cancel /move them back at the last minute and get your deposit back.

One other thing. I'm assuming the 2 flights are on the one itinerary and ticket? If so you should be ok.
 
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aussiecruisers said:
So I wonder what "accommodate" means:eek: . Should I ask?
Which airline? The in-bound airline is likely the one that caused the problem, but they have now delivered you (albeit 2 hours late) and will wipe their hands of the situation.

The onward airline will not want to take responsibility for the inbound airline's problem.

While they may be willing to be flexible, if they only operate 3 times a week, and the next flight is already full, you could well be stuck for quite some time with lots of finger pointing and little "accommodating" going on.

If the TA is so certain, ask them to accept the risk and pick up any costs that the airline refuses to cover.
 
We are paper ticketed through a Qantas booking for BNE to SYD (on Qantas); (1.45hr transit)
SYD to HNL (on Hawainn Air) (2.20hrs transit).
And Eticketed through AA booking for HNL to LAX (on Hawaiin Air);(1.55 transit)
LAX to MIA (on AA). Arrive Miami 0705 on 15 Sept.
Cruise departs Miami mid afternoon on 16 Sept.

My Cruise TA has advised me to advise my Flights TA to ensure our paper & etickets flights are cross referenced.

P.s. will ask the Flights TA what they mean by 'accommodate'.
 
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I suggest you call both Qantas and IndiAA and get 'information' segments put into the PNR's referring to you connecting flights.
 
aussiecruisers said:
Serfty - can you elaborate please. I don't know what you mean by 'information' and PNR's:oops: .

PNR is a passenger record (sorry forgot what the N stands for) for a single ticket. For multi-airline tickets it may be limited to a record of the flights with that airline plus connecting info (depends on the GDS global distribution system used by the airlines on the itinerary). Basically has your flight information, name and contact details, etc.

When travelling on separate tickets you can request information to be added to your PNR to show the connecting flight information.

For example

Ticket 1 SYD-AKL
Ticket 2 AKL-LAX

On ticket 1's PNR add AKL-LAX and on ticket 2's PNR add SYD-AKL. That way the airlines are fully aware of the connection and why you may be late boarding.
 
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