Hundreds of ash cloud claims still outstanding

Hundreds of ash cloud claims still outstanding



Apr 07, 2011 07:00



More than 400 claims for holidays ruined by the Icelandic ash cloud a year ago have yet to be settled, according to reports.

About 400 cases have been taken to the Financial Ombudsman Service and are being adjudicated.

There are also "a few dozen" demands for refunds for flight tickets and costs such as hotels and car hire that have not yet been processed by airlines, the London Evening Standard reported.

The majority of remaining claims are against travel insurers which dispute whether the ash cloud that drifted across Europe represented a genuine "adverse weather event" covered by policies.

The claims reportedly range from £50 to £4,000.

Travel insurance companies including Europ Assistance and Axa refused to pay claims on the grounds that the ash cloud was not “a weather incident”.

A Europ Assistance spokeswoman was quoted as saying: “We have received a decision from the Financial Ombudsman Service which we are considering with our legal advisers and we will respond in due course.”

A Civil Aviation Authority spokesman said: “I understand there are a couple of airlines that are still in dispute with a number of passengers. There are some outstanding claims which airlines say are excessive.”

An estimated two million travellers, many on Easter holidays, were caught up in the chaos caused by the Eyjafjallajökull volcano.

Many were stranded overseas and had to make their own way home or pay for hotels caused by the closure of European airports from April 15 to 20.

Note! The main problem is not the companies paying out its how the people booked their holiday first, they chose to become the tour operator by arranging all the different elements them selfs, if they had book the holiday with a ATOL bonded travel company like We Travel 2U they would not have had to fork out for the hotel stay and would have had a re-arranged flight home as soon as the air was safe to fly in.

All those whose holidays did not happen for the same reason would have their holiday rearranged or been given a full refund straight away. the morel of the story is BOOK with a TRAVEL AGENT or take the risk!!!